Inspiration-Christopher Bailey

On the occasion of today`s Burberry Prorsum Menswear A/W2012 show in Milan, I decided to tell you about what I like about Burberry. You can watch the show online on www.burberry.com. 5pm Milan time

Whole my life I recognized the Great Britain in the red-black-yellow tartan but only in 2008 I found out that it is Burberry. I love this brand. I watched and rewatched the majority of it`s Fashion shows, read about it`s history and it`s path to success. But the great breakthrough in the development of the Burberry brand was done by Christopher Bailey, really talented designer. To be honest, I think he is a genius.

Once somebody asked me “Who would you like to meet, alive or dead?” Without hesitating I answered: “Christopher Bailey”. Why? He is an inspiration. He breathed a new life into the brand. Every season he creates something new and extraordinary, but it is still Burberry. You can understand that it is Burberry because in spite of the new ideas and innovations all the items in his collections is sodden with Britishness, with traditions, with rock`n`roll, with London rain, with the atmosphere of the English forests and streets, with mystery, elegance and chic. When I watch his shows my heart stops beating. It`s impossible to describe what atmosphere he makes on the shows: all the models, music, place, the shows end with the glitters or show falling from above. He mixes something old and traditional with modernity. The ad campaigns are always stylish and powerful.

When I read his interviews and articles about him, I`m really fascinated by him. He finds an inspiration not just in obvious things, not just in a beauty of a person, but in the soul, in the character of other man, in art, in music and literature. I mean in something that is hidden. He is really hard-working. I guess he put his life into the work. It seems to me he has a hand in everything concerning Burberry: he even designed the Burberry headquarter on Horseferry Road. He creates the face, the image of the brand.

And what about the fact that Burberry introduced a technological change in fashion? The Holographic Burberry Show in Beijing last year was absolutely incredible and something unbelievable!

One of his greatest achievements is the Burberry Acoustic project. He finds unknown British singers and makes an acoustic music video with them. By that he gives a chance to young and talented people, he discovers them, he inspired by them. And this idea combines with the whole Burberry concept. In my opinion, that`s wonderful and I like almost every video, every song in this project.

I`m prone to think that he is modest, energetic, well-mannered and intelligent. He is a real gentleman, a real British man. I like that he compare Burberry with a multifaceted diamond. Thanks to him the brand became a bellweather of the market. May be the key of his success is that he really loves his work. Anyway he deserves recognition. And he actually got one: he received many very prestigious awards and he also was awarded with the Order of the British Empire. He is an iconic. And attending one his fashion shows (to see the collection the first and to feel the atmosphere) is one of my biggest dreams.