On Monday night, as show-goers from around the fashion world took their seats at Daniel Lee’s debut show for Burberry, drinking hot toddies and clutching tartan-covered hot water bottles, expectations ran high. How would the new creative director interpret the return to Britishness, central to CEO Jonathan Akeroyd’s strategy to build the brand into a £4 billion ($5 billion) megabrand?

During his tenure at Bottega Veneta, the designer created a series of It bags — the ubiquitous “Pouch”, the “Jodie” in the brand’s signature intrecciato weave and of course the “Cassette” crossbody that remains popular with men and women alike — so perhaps it’s not surprising that buyers and editors were particularly keen to see if he could bring the same magic to Burberry.

But while there was no shortage of bags on offer, it was the shoes that had insiders really talking afterwards. At Bottega, Lee’s “Puddle” boots and padded “Lido” mules set afire footwear trends that swept across fashion. At Burberry, he seems to have set out to do the same, with shoes making statement after statement, in varied — and often wacky ways.

Models walked the runway in heels embellished with faux fur; there were thigh-high boots in light grey and olive green; chunky-soled oxford shoes; rain boots in multiple colourways; and shearling-trimmed Wallabee-style moccasins. Sneakers, once a favourite for Burberry under Riccardo Tisci, did not feature at all.

As consumers shed their pandemic-era, work-from-home slippers, designer footwear is set for growth, but in an unconventional way. High-income luxury shoppers in the US, UK and China told BoF Insights in a recent survey that dress shoes remain a staple, but now they want footwear that is not only statement-making with fancy embellishment, but also comfortable.

For Burberry, like countless other brands, footwear is a category targeted for growth, with plans under way at the British house to more than double its footwear business over the next few years.

Growing footwear and accessories is part of the standard playbook for luxury brands’ strategies. At luxury brands like Chloe, Prada, Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta, footwear accounts for around 20 percent of sales, according to BoF Insights data.

Explore all the statement shoes from the Burberry Autumn/Winter 2023 runway show.

Opens in new window