Burberry Prorsum AW14

Initial reaction:

Answering the call of the wild: the path of a world traveller from loose silk on sweltering nights to Moroccan print and blanket scarves fit for Siberian nights.

Cultural nomad:

A mash up of references: art influences were splashed over cracked leather coats and bags, from expressionist sweeps of colour to painted Matisse-like collage. Complex road map prints appeared on shirts – a recording of past journeys – and memories of city scapes sprung up over sweaters. Autumnal leaves mimicking Hawaiian print, and tropical paisley hinted at a longing for England and home.

Stand out looks:

Heavy dark leather frayed Navajo jackets; a suede paisley print coat in a blue and black reminiscent of Matisse and worn with a flowing green scarf; a padded Autumn leaf jacket in red and blue. As the collection grew, so did the layers – from loose shirts, to padded, fur and shearling coats as the traveller made his way to colder climes. For the finale, every model flung a blanket in cubist print over his shoulder, as if headed high in the hills of South America.

How they wore it:

The outsized leather bags in cubist and tapestry print were fit for a traveller, yet under every coat, shirt and jacket the models wore a simple white vest, tucked into charcoal or black wool trousers, traditional maroon brogues at their feet: beneath this wanderlust man was an English boy. City map print silk scarves tied loosely at the shoulders were reminiscent of Cub Scouts and childhoods past.

House codes: 

In the midst of a show full of cultural references the Burberry trench was left to speak for itself in classic beige, a silk cream scarf tied at the shoulders. Oversized shearling aviator jackets came in traditional burnt orange.