Burberry has appointed Daniel Lee, one of the fashion industry’s most respected young designers, as its chief creative officer, the house announced Wednesday.
The 36-year-old, who until last year served as creative director for Italian luxury label Bottega Veneta, will join the heritage British brand from Monday.
Lee will oversee all of Burberry’s collections, which span men’s, women’s and children’s items. He commences his role next week but is not expected to make his runway debut until next February, when he will present the label’s Fall-Winter 2023 collection at London Fashion Week.
Among the youngest designers to have helmed a major label, English-born Lee has already worked for brands including Maison Margiela, Balenciaga and Donna Karan. In 2012 he joined Céline where, as director of ready-to-wear design, he was credited with reviving the French maison’s reputation alongside then creative director Phoebe Philo.
During his three-year stint at Bottega Veneta, Lee also ushered in a quiet transformation of the Italian fashion house’s fortunes. In particular, he became known for the Pouch clutch — a celebrity favorite — and the Cassette bag, which emphasized the label’s history of craftsmanship by enlarging its signature “intrecciato” weave.
Lee replaces Riccardo Tisci, who leaves Burberry after five years as chief creative officer. During his time at the helm, the Italian designer oversaw several significant developments in the brand’s identity, including the revival of its now-ubiquitous TB (Thomas Burberry) monogram.
The announcement means that Monday’s star-studded Burberry show at London Fashion Week, rescheduled due to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, was Tisci’s last for the brand.
In a statement published Wednesday, Lee he was “honored” to be joining Burberry.
“Together with the team, we will write the exciting next chapter for this legendary British luxury brand, continuing its historic heritage and building on Riccardo’s legacy,” he added. “I am very excited to be returning to London, a city that champions pioneering creativity and that continues to inspire me.”
In a separate press release, also issued by Burberry, Tisci said he was “incredibly proud” of his work at the brand. “Burberry is a very special place with a magical past and a very promising future,” he is quoted as saying.
Top image: Daniel Lee, then Bottega Veneta’s creative director, at The Fashion Awards in 2019.
