Burberry's starry Los Angeles soiree highlights British heritage

I was a bit sceptical about the “London in Los Angeles” concept before arriving for Burberry’s soiree celebrating its newly opened flagship store on Rodeo Drive on April 16, only to find that the British luxury maison went all out to make sure even the proudest Brits feel right at home in the heart of Hollywood.

“It’s a lot of work and discussion,” says Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative and Chief Executive Officer of the brand when I caught up with him backstage. “We want to celebrate the new store by doing something really British.”

Bailey, who took over as CEO since last year, says his new role allows him to put things in perspective.

“My role now is to lead the organisation,” Bailey says. “I have a 360-degree vision of the company. Creative ideas [keep coming] to me. I’m also able to look at things more objectively.”

British and US flags lined the road as my car drove up to the event. The entrance was decked out by a specially-made Victorian iron gate bearing the Burberry logo. The thematic entrance led to a lovely English garden for pre-show cocktails. The sun was just about to set, leaving a perfect photo opportunity for guests to capture the iconic Hollywood sign sitting right opposite. Mingling in the crowd were fashion darlings the likes of Cara Delevingne, Suki Waterhouse and Mila Kunis.

This is the first time a runway show has been hosted at Los Angeles’ Griffith Observatory. The show took place in a specially designed tent accommodating more than 700 guests. The stellar front row saw A-listers the likes of Kate Beckinsale, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Elton John, Tang Wei and more.

Stealing the spotlight, however, was the Beckham family. While David and Victoria tended to their baby girl Harper, the Beckham boys Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, looking all grown up, posed for the photo crew.

Burberry re-staged its autumn/winter 2015 collection at the event, mixing menswear and womenswear and a few new styles exclusive to the Los Angeles store. Supermodels including Jourdan Dunn and Naomi Campbell walked the runway. The presentation was streamed live on Periscope- the all-new social media platform.

Singer-songwriter Benjamin Clementine’s live performance was impressive. As Clementine sang, “London, London, London is calling you”, the backdrop of the runway was lifted to show a three-dimensional cut-out of London’s  skyline.

Then the surprising finale hit. The 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards marched down the runway. British comedian James Corden made a surprise appearance, joining Campbell and Dunn to whisk away audience to the after-party nearby.