Sandra‘s Closet

Breaking news! Burberry has appointed Daniel Lee as its new chief creative officer, replacing Riccardo Tisci, who is stepping down after presenting his final runway show for the British luxury brand on Monday. The end of Tisci’s near five-year tenure follows the arrival of Jonathan Akeroyd as Burberry’s new chief executive earlier this year who is supposed to accelerate growth.

Riccardo Tisci with me

Tisci was the creative force behind former chief executive Marco Gobbetti‘s strategy to elevate the position of the 166-year-old brand in the luxury sector. His designs, many of which featured a new Thomas Burberry «TB» monogram, attracted a younger and more diverse community of customers to the brand.

Tisci’s last show for Burberry

Lee, who was creative director at Italy’s Bottega Veneta for three years until 2021, and who has previously worked at Celine, Maison Margiela, Balenciaga and Donna Karan, was a «new kid on the block» when he was named creative director of Kering’s Bottega Veneta at age 32 in 2018.

A funny coincidence is that Lee was born in Yorkshire where Burberry manufactures its famous trench coats, and he said that «he was honoured to join the fashion house and build on Tisci’s legacy.» During a three-year tenure at the house known for its leather-weaving techniques and logo-free products, Lee created must-have bags and shoes fashionistas around the globe raved about. He used ultra-touchable materials, unexpected proportions and bold colors to create products that rapidly turned around Bottega Veneta’s sales, which has been slipping for several years. However, after he left Bottega Veneta, rumors were that he was horrible to work with and treated his colleagues not in a nice way. Of course, this is only a rumor and nobody officially addressed it.

Some of Lee’s designs for Bottega Veneta

The brand stated in a press release: «Bottega Veneta and Daniel Lee are announcing their joint decision to end their collaboration.» «I am very grateful to Daniel for having brought his passion and energy to Bottega Veneta,» said Kering’s CEO Francois-Henri Pinault in the release. «His singular vision made the House’s heritage relevant for today and put it back to the center of the fashion scene.»

No matter what Lee does or did, his designs are amazing and this is what counts. I cannot wait to see what his vision is for Burberry!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Bottega Veneta, © Burberry and © Sandra Bauknecht
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Burberry launches its latest B Series as part of the series of monthly product drops designed by the fashion house’s Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci.

The Robin, a small black structured bag in smooth Italian-tanned leather with our signature Thomas Burberry Monogram clasp, will be available 17 February from 12 noon GMT exclusively through Burberry’s Instagram, LINE and Kakao platforms for 24 hours and from 5pm CST on Burberry’s WeChat platform for 24 hours.

The bag will debut today at the upcoming F/W 2020 show at 5pm GMT in London.
The next B Series will be available on 17 March 2020. Stay tuned!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Burberry

«Vivienne Westwood was one of the first designers who made me dream to become a designer myself and when I first started at Burberry, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to approach her to do something. She is a rebel, a punk and unrivalled in her unique representation of British style, which has inspired so many of us. I am so incredibly proud of what we will be creating together.»
Riccardo Tisci, Burberry Chief Creative Officer

Andreas Kronthaler and Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood and Burberry revealed the campaign for their collaboration
which was shot in London by David Sims.
The campaign features an eclectic cast wearing looks from the limited-edition collection
created as a collaboration between Riccardo Tisci, Vivienne Westwood and Andreas Kronthaler. The cast includes: Kate Moss, Sistren, Leonard Emmanuel, LadyFag, Josh Quinton,
Andy Bradin, DelaRosa, Claudia Lavender, Marco Motta, Sashadavai
and Jacob Shifrin as well as Vivienne Westwood and Andreas Kronthaler.

THE COLLECTION

The collection celebrates British style and heritage and is inspired by Vivienne Westwood’s iconic collections, taking a unisex approach across styles.

Vivienne Westwood’s famous designs – from classic double-breasted jackets, a hugger jacket and a mini kilt to lace up platforms and a beret – are all reimagined in Burberry’s Vintage check. «Vivienne Westwood & Burberry» is the first collaboration for Burberry under its newly appointed Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci and is now available online and in select Burberry stores globally.

COOL EARTH

Vivienne Westwood and Riccardo Tisci were united by a shared vision to support and promote Cool Earth, a UK based non-profit organisation that works alongside rainforest communities to halt deforestation and climate change, through this collaboration.

At the heart of the collection, is an oversized T-shirt dedicated to the charity, with a handwritten message from Vivienne. She will also customise four exclusive items from the collection to be auctioned to raise further support for Cool Earth.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Burberry, © David Sims

“I was thinking a lot about journeys as I started putting together my first Burberry collection. From my personal journey back to London 20 years after I showed my graduate collection here, to how far I have come. I was also inspired by how much London – the city that made me dream to become a designer – has evolved. This show is a celebration of the cultures, the traditions and the codes of
this historic fashion house and of the eclecticism that makes up the beautifully diverse United Kingdom.”
Riccardo Tisci, Burberry Chief Creative Officer

Yesterday evening, Riccardo Tisci presented his much-anticipated debut collection for BURBERRY with a show – of course live streamed on Instagram – that paid homage to the individuality, eccentricity and inimitable attitude of Britain with 134 looks.

The collection
In front of an audience of creative industry, friends and family, the S/S 2019 collection for men and women, called «Kingdom», was unveiled at a new show venue in Vauxhall, South West London. The new collection celebrates the diversity and the heart of England – the melting pot of creativity and style traditions from the punk and rebellious, to the formal and refined, all co-existing together.  It serves for all, grandparents, parents and the kids. Capturing the breadth of what British culture represents today, the collection defines the visual language and lexicon for Burberry through new house codes and accessories.

The space
As the first model took to the runway the previously dark space was flooded with light, symbolising a new chapter for the fashion house. British materials and textures including concrete, mahogany wood and critter glass transformed the interior with moving walls in tonal brand colours forming small intimate view points for the audience.

The music
Models including Kendall Jenner, Irina Shayk, Stella Tennant, Jourdan Dunn, Lily Donaldson, Freja Beha Erichsen, Natalia Vodianova, Anok Yai and Cat McNeil walked to an exclusively designed soundtrack by Robert Del Naja from Massive Attack.

24-hour capsule drop
Pieces from Riccardo’s first collection for BURBERRY are now available to buy for 24 hours exclusively on Instagram, WeChat and physically at BURBERRY’s London flagship store, 121 Regent Street.

Personal opinion
I had been very curious about Tisci’s approach to BURBERRY and think he had a good start with the focus on tailoring. Although he has not fully arrived yet. Probably because he tried to cater for every taste, many looks were definitely on the commercial side and too much of a mixture between Prada, Céline, and of course Givenchy during his era.

I spotted a detaching waist on a couple of outfits which I quite like. The fabric combination of flowing materials with leather for skirts was definitely amazing. Many details were outstanding, like the umbrella harness or tie fixture. It is a collection where you have to look twice.

But personally speaking I preferred the second part of the presentation as it showed what Tisci can do best, mixing high and low. The print, that is echoing a Sex Pistols song, reading «why did they kill Bambi?» is fun as well as the portraits on pants and dresses.

Am I the only one or did anybody else see a resemblance between these lamp shade-inspired fringe- and crystal-adorned evening looks and Mary Katrantzou‘s designs?!

Nevertheless, as I am a dedicated fashion collector, I will surely get some pieces from this collection. But not from the 24h Instagram sale, as I find the choice pretty disappointing. Too commercial for my taste.

Enjoy my favorite looks below…

I like this combination of different animal prints.

The sleeves are divine, the tailoring immaculate.

The Burberry stripes newly interpreted.

I like this one but somehow it has a little Vuitton touch for me.

Love this skirt!

My favorite look!

This shirt has a really cool twist. A real Tisci signature piece.

Not the biggest Kendall fan, but this Trench is amazing.

Cool umbrella harness

The fixture of the tie is totally great.

Favorite men’s shirt. I adore this pocket detail.

Such a cute dress.

Even though this could have been a typical Givenchy/Tisci look, I adore it for Burberry.

A must for every Swiss :-).

Second favorite look!

My next travel outfit.

Last look of the show – very elegant.

Looking forward to the next seasons to come! The more I look at the outfits, the more I like them. What about you?

TO SHOP BURBERRY ONLINE, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Burberry

A few days ago, Burberry announced the launch of limited edition products through a series of 24-hour releases across its Instagram and WeChat channels, as well as in-store at its flagship on 121 Regent Street, which will be the only physical place in the world to house this collection.

The move is to mark the inaugural S/S 2019 collection for Burberry from new chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci which he will show on the 17th of September 2018 at 5pm as part of London Fashion Week. Surprisingly, Riccardo Tisci has announced this morning via an Instagram post that the first piece will be already dropping today – a black Thomas Burberry Monogram logo T-shirt which Riccardo wears in the post himself along with other celebs (see below).

It’s a new step in the see-now-buy-now era and it will be the first time the brand has created a bespoke digital selling experience for their social channels. This kind of «drop» culture is similar of the strategy applied in the streetwear market, whereby new pieces are released on given days, mostly for a short amount of time. The reason behind it is to drive hype around their exclusivity. Nowadays, the luxury industry is trying to jump in this same direction in order to increase the consumer appetite.

For Burberry, the initiative also marks another step towards a complete brand remake under Tisci’s fashion sense. The Italian designer has also recently introduced a modernized logo.

121 Regent Street reimagined:
Opening Saturday 15 September, Burberry’s London flagship store will be completely reimagined by Riccardo Tisci. In addition to the ephemeral, limited-edition product releases, the store will also be home to individually themed rooms which collectively celebrate the past and future of Burberry through product.

At the heart of the newly transformed space, will be «Sisyphus Reclined», a three-floor scaffold immersive and interactive commissioned art installation by British artist Graham Hudson. The Installation will remain in store until the beginning of October.

The #ThomasBurberryBear at Marble Arch, London

Last week, Burberry also confirmed that it will no longer use real fur starting with Riccardo Tisci’s debut runway collection for Burberry. The fashion house also announced that it will stop the practice of destroying unsaleable products, with immediate effect as part of its five-year responsibility agenda.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Burberry
#ThomasBurberryMonogram #TheBSeries#mytshirt

I have just received the tragic news that another legend has left the planet. Fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy, who opened his eponymous fashion house in 1952, died past Saturday aged 91 as his partner – former haute couture designer – Philippe Venet has announced today. The couple lived in a Renaissance chateau near Paris.

«Balloon Coat», Hubert de Givenchy, 1958

The aristocratic gentleman was known for his sophisticated and ladylike chic in the 1950s and 1960s and famous for having designed much of the personal and professional wardrobe of Audrey Hepburn, as well as clothing for clients such as Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy and Grace Kelly.

At the age of seventeen, he moved to Paris where he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts. Givenchy’s first designs were done for Jacques Fath in 1945. Later he did designs for Robert Piguet and Lucien Lelong (1946) – working alongside the still-unknown Pierre Balmain and Christian Dior, followed by 5 years working for the avantgarde designer Elsa Schiaparelli before he opened his own design house at the Plaine Monceau in Paris in 1952.

Audrey Hepburn wearing Givenchy in 1954 film «Sabrina».

His style was marked by innovation, contrary to the more conservative designs by Dior. At 25, he was the youngest designer of the progressive Paris fashion scene. His first collections were characterized by the use of rather cheap fabrics for financial reasons, but they always piqued curiosity through their design. Audrey Hepburn, later the most prominent proponent of Givenchy’s fashion, and Givenchy met in 1953 during the shoot of «Sabrina». He went on to design the famous «little black dress» she wore in «Breakfast at Tiffany’s».

In 1961, when Audrey Hepburn got the roll of Holly Golightly, designer Hubert de Givenchy designed the famous black dress which became one of the most iconic clothing items of the 20th century.

He also developed his first perfume collection for her (L’Interdit and Le de Givenchy) and made Audrey Hepburn the face of it. For the very first time a star was the face of a fragrance’s advertising campaign and probably the last time that it was done for free, only by friendship.

At that time, Givenchy also met his idol, Cristóbal Balenciaga. Although a renowned designer, Givenchy not only sought inspiration from the lofty settings of haute couture but also in such avant-garde environments as Limbo, the store in Manhattan’s East Village. In 1954, Givenchy’s prêt-à-porter collection debuted.

1957 Babydoll Dress by Givenchy

The House of Givenchy was split in 1981, with the perfume line going to Veuve Clicquot, while the fashion branch was acquired by LVMH in 1989. As of today, LVMH owns Parfums Givenchy as well.

De Givenchy retired from fashion design in 1995. His successor to head the Givenchy label was John Galliano, followed by a five-year stay from Alexander McQueen and a term from 2001 to 2004 by Julien Macdonald. As we all know, Riccardo Tisci revived the Givenchy brand tremendously from 2005 until 2017. This season, Clare Waight Keller presented her first runway show for Givenchy.

Rest in peace, Hubert de Givenchy and thank you for all those wonderful fashionable moments.
You will never be forgotten!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Givenchy, Getty Images

The guessing is over! Breaking news… Burberry has named its new chief creative officer, effective March 12, 2018 and its is no other than Riccardo Tisci who succeeds Christopher Bailey after 17 years at the British fashion house.

Christopher Bailey’s final collection for S/S 2018 at Burberry pays homage to LGBT pride and was shown in London last month.

Tisci himself had been more than a decade creative director at Givenchy – modernizing  the Maison’s aesthetic for an entirely new generation of customers (for a previous post, click here please). Being known for his dark and subversive collections with religious and gothic references, he made Madonna, Rottweiler and Bambi sweaters popular and modernized floral prints.

In his new role, Tisci will be based in London and direct all of Burberry’s collections, presenting his first for the brand in September. A city where it all started for him at the age of 19. Born in Taranto in Southern Italy, fatherless and the youngest of nine siblings – all of whom were female – Tisci escaped to the British metropole and attended the prestigious Central St. Martins.

Marco Gobbetti

In 2005, Marco Gobbetti, who was president and CEO at Givenchy at that time, spotted the talent of «unknown» Tisci and hired him as a designer. We all know that this was a great decision as Tisci has transformed Givenchy’s womenswear, menswear and accessories into something uber cool. Now, Gobbetti seems to look for a revival as he is now Burberry’s chief executive.

Towards BoF, Gobbetti said: «Riccardo is one of the most talented designers of our time. His designs have an elegance that is contemporary and his skill in blending streetwear with high fashion is highly relevant to today’s luxury consumer. Riccardo’s creative vision will reinforce the ambitions we have for Burberry and position the brand firmly in luxury.»

«I have an enormous respect for Burberry’s British heritage and global appeal and I am excited about the potential of this exceptional brand,» added Tisci. «I am honoured and delighted to be joining Burberry and reuniting with Marco Gobbetti.»

I cannot wait to see Tisci’s first collection for Burberry…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Givenchy and Burberry

Industry speculations aren’t always so wrong as we can see now. Yesterday, Givenchy announced Clare Waight Keller, former creative director at Chloé, as the house’s new artistic director. Rumors have been out for months that she will be the first woman leading the French Maison. Waight Keller will oversee women’s and men’s ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as haute couture with the appointment becoming effective May 2, 2017. Her first collection for S/S 2018 will be shown in Paris in October.

Clare Waight Keller with me

The British-born replaces Riccardo Tisci, who left the LVMH-owned brand in January, reportedly for Versace, though that appointment has not been made official. With 12 years at the house, Tisci, who is Italian, enjoyed the longest tenure after founder Hubert de Givenchy himself.

“HUBERT DE GIVENCHY’S CONFIDENT STYLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INSPIRATION AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF THIS LEGENDARY HOUSE’S HISTORY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE TEAMS AND WRITING A NEW CHAPTER IN THIS BEAUTIFUL STORY. “ CLARE WAIGHT KELLER

Natacha Ramsay-Levi

But who is following Wright Keller at Chloé? For the world of fashion a popular name, for others probably not: Natacha Ramsay-Levi who has been working along with Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga whom she followed 2013 to Louis Vuitton. The French-born was in a relationship with fashion «enfant terrible» and «Purple»-founder Olivier Zahm, with whom she has a son.

New year, new designer moves… let’s keep the fashion world busy!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Givenchy, Chloé

This was breaking news this week, Riccardo Tisci is leaving Givenchy after 12 years with the brand and the house won’t show during Paris Fashion Week. His F/W 2017 menswear collection and S/S 2017 Haute Couture collection, shown together on the runway in Paris on January 20, were his last for the label.

Riccardo Tisci with Beyoncé photographed by Anton Corbjin for Vogue September 2015.

If you are one of Riccardo Tisci’s 1.8 million Instagram followers, then you probably already know that the Givenchy designer is loved by celebrities such as Beyoncé, Madonna, Rihanna and many more… Ticsi’s exit finishes one of the fashion industry’s longest and most successful appointments.

Givenchy sequin dress and fox fur cape in US Vogue April 2014.

In the last year and a half, Dior, Valentino, Lanvin, Chloé, Saint Laurent, and more have seen their designers leave, which seems to lead to the fact that the short-term position for the creative director of around 3 to 4 years is becoming the new normal.

At the moment, the industry is changing anyway dramatically…

Givenchy ad campaign 2015 featuring Donatella Versace.

Concerning Tisci’s future, rumors are out that he will move to Versace, a brand that he has long expressed his admiration for, especially for the work of the late Gianni Versace. Ticsi has built up a close friendship with Gianni’s sister, Donatella, whom he invited to pose in a Givenchy ad campaign in 2015. Donated herself called Tisci’s F/W 2011 collection an homage to her brother. For a previous post, click here please.

To pay tribute to this fabulous designer, let’s indulge in some of his most amazing fashion moments, such as his famous Bambi sweater, his love for Rottweilers, and the most beautiful floral prints.

Have a look at some of my personal Givenchy highlights of the last years…
TRIBAL – WILD FLOWER – ON THE RED CARPET IN CANNES – DANCING ON MULHOLLAND DRIVE – DINNER AT L’ARC IN PARIS

For Riccardo Tisci, I think it is time to move on. Personally speaking, I have always been a great Givenchy fan, but change means new inspiration! And that is always good…

The fashion wheel is spinning again… let’s stay tuned!

TO SHOP TISCI’S LAST COLLECTION FOR GIVENCHY, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Via Vogue, Givenchy and © Sandra Bauknecht

Givenchy’s Creative Director Riccardo Tisci has teamed up with Nike to create an exclusive collection of Air Force 1 basketball sneakers- a style of which he is a major fan. “I own about 125 pairs of the same Nike Air Force 1s,” he says of the iconic style that was first released in 1982.

Splashed with hues of orange, lemon, sky-blue and brown, they are cushioned for comfort and support. Isn’t the the tactile mix of rubber, faux suede and canvas just gorgeous?

LoL, Sandra

Air Force 1 leather hi-top sneakers (ankle)

Air Force 1 leather hi-top sneakers (knee)

Photos: Courtesy of Nike and Vogue