“There has never been a more important time to say that in our diversity lies our strength, and our creativity.” The words of Christopher Bailey preceding his Februrary 17th AW18 show for London Fashion Week, what was his final collection for Burberry, are notable. Bailey dedicated his final collection to the LGBT+ community, evident in the rainbow toned pieces that punctuate the broad collection. That Cara Delevingne closed the show may be significant here: with a sharp pixie cut and a punchy attitude the young bisexual model reflects the legacy of Bailey as a young, innovative and gay designer.

The stark rainbow hues of the collection did not solely contribute to the representation and celebration of the LGBT+ community that is central to Bailey’s life and work, however. The vivacity in the colour scheme of the collection mirrored a more poignant sense of vibrancy and optimism. Bailey offers a celebratory and hopeful vision in his final Burberry collection. It is a celebration of fashion, culture, art and identity. Anna Wintour recently remarked that “a fashion show does not exist in a vacuum, it is reflecting our culture”. This can be seen nowhere more clearly than in Bailey’s swan song collection.

“Bailey’s final collection for Burberry maintained an elegant equilibrium between nostalgia and innovation, the old and the new”

This is what I think makes this collection so distinctive. Final collections are always a challenge; achieving the balance between celebration and narcissism, all whilst doing justice to a legacy, can prove to be complex, especially for large houses where creative directors face mounting expectation and pressure. In contrast, Bailey’s final collection for Burberry maintained an elegant equilibrium between nostalgia and innovation, the old and the new.

The pieces were loose yet structured, accentuated by the contrast of both the bland and ethereal with the striking and flamboyant. That the collection managed to be both classic and traditional, yet also radical and tapping into youth culture today, is emblematic of Bailey’s legacy at the house, particularly in recent years. The combination of the emotive music, playing against the boldness of colour and style in the show was representative of the duality of Bailey’s legacy at Burberry; recognising that the house “is part of the establishment, but it is always changing, and always learning”. Bailey’s celebration of what has come before does not diminish the fashion, culture or style of the present, instead moulding and merging together in a beautiful and eclectic way.

The collection itself was surreal and superb. Despite the broad mixture of styles which Bailey draws upon in the collection, there is an underlying similarity in the structures and fit of the pieces. Layering massive jumpers and puffer jackets over long dresses, or combining the traditional English heritage plaid print with sportswear, the collection doesn’t just break norms but twists and merges the trends which have shaped Bailey’s life and artistic direction in a beautiful and incredibly effective way.

Different segments of the collection marked and evoked different periods of fashion both within Burberry under the 17-year creative direction of Bailey, but also of the ‘cultures’ of fashion which he has lived through. The nostalgia running through is profound; a celebration of a legacy encompassing both the classic, utilitarian trench coat to the sports-chic of recent years.

The location of the show itself was in a building in an up-and-coming area of London, a notable move in recent years from the traditional more classic venue Burberry has presented in. The industrial setting creates an incredible functionality to the presentation, allowing the clothes to speak boldly and clearly. This was complemented by Bailey’s collaboration with United Visual Artists for this ‘Spectrum’ collection created something truly magical. The use of industrial bulbs for lighting throughout and the psychedelic beams of iridescent light that formed a luminous tunnel for the final collective walk marked the show as a pivot for the brand that both reflects and celebrates on what has been, but refuses to dwell or linger.

The sense of hope, excitement and celebration paves the way for the beginning of a ‘new’ Burberry under new artistic direction and the furthering of a project started under Bailey to keep what has been seen as a traditional fashion house current, innovative and creative