Lightness prevailed over the final day of London Fashion Week, with an unceremoniously British blue sky looming above as Daniel Lee unveiled his spring/summer 2027 collection for Burberry. The English designer, back on home soil for a few seasons now, has made it a part of his design methodology to toy with the elements, be it the earthy setting of summer festivals like Glastonbury, the lanolin-coated interiors of greasy spoons or the misty and moody banks of the Thames after dark.

This time around, he took a more sprightly note with an uplifting palette and optimistic embellishments that proved, when the sun is high and the air is still, the United Kingdom is an especially superb place to be. This notion of serenity was woven throughout the entire collection, from embroidery that mimicked the native wildflowers that grow in abundance in country meadows, to verdant tennis lawn greens that garner international attention and even the strawberries and cream that become a staple cuisine this time of year.

As Lee himself claimed, this collection was Burberry at its most soulful. Over 61 looks, including one modelled by rapper Central Cee, Lee looked to the fundamentals of British dress, something the house has been setting a precedent for since 1856. “There’s an intentional imperfection: the idea of owning a piece, living in it.” Lee continues, acknowledging that these silhouettes were a return to “something instinctive… something felt…something true.’

The beauty of British dressing lies in its rebellion. Though the pieces felt quite put together, there was a relaxed undertone permeating each ensemble. Instead of structured trench coats, energetic anoraks with parachute-like volume added bounce and dimension to pastel dresses. Slip dresses were ornamented with sequins in sweet-shop tones, borrowing from the playbooks of Dries Van Noten and Miuccia Prada, albeit rendered in a way that felt completely British as they rivalled Mimosa buds and lavender fields.

There was an adjunct note of heritage too, especially through the tailoring and sportswear that was on display. If anything, it felt more youthquake-inspired, with pieces intended to look like they had been borrowed from a grandparent’s wardrobe with baggy fits and vintage cuts. This latter note underpinned the entire collection, with Lee looking to Burberry’s archives. Indeed, running across it all is Celia Birtwell, the British textile artist whose prints defined the look of the 1960s and 1970s.