Biography
Daniel Lee is the creative director at Burberry and was the former creative director at Bottega Veneta, tasked with reviving the brand following its recent period of stagnation. Previously Céline’s ready-to-wear director, Lee introduced a successful line of accessories that modernised the brand’s famous intreciatto technique, and his debut collection for the house was hailed as a success by buyers and customers alike.
Born in Bradford, England, Lee graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2011 and held roles at Maison Margiela , Balenciaga and Donna Karan before joining Céline in 2012 under Phoebe Philo . Six years later, Lee was named creative director of Bottega Veneta.
Following Tomas Maier ’s 17 years at the creative helm of the Italian label, Lee was drafted in by its parent company Kering, which sought to return the brand to its former strength. The designer is tipped as an opportunity for Kering to tap into the Phoebe Philo-era of “Old Céline” following Hedi Slimane ’s reorientation of the Parisian label.
Lee’s first outing for Bottega Veneta was a pre-fall collection of men's, womenswear, accessories, jewellery and sunglasses, presented in the Milanese showroom in December 2018; his first runway show debuted in Milan in February 2019. At the 2019 British Fashion Awards, Bottega Veneta won “Brand of the Year,” while Lee won “Designer of the Year,” “British Designer of the Year — Womenswear” and “Accessories Designer of the Year.”
In November 2021, Lee stepped down from his position as creative director at Bottega Veneta. Daniel Lee was announced chief creative officer at Burberry in September 2022 and presented his debut runway collection at London Fashion Week in February 2023.