Waft about the woods: fairy tale fashion for nightmarish times

While there were plenty of models gathered to showcase the collection, rather than featuring a catwalk, the surreal show, produced with the help of artist Anne Imhof, was set in a gorgeous wooded location.

“It began with a thought of British summertime; embracing the elements with a trench coat on the beach mixing with the sand and the water,” Tisci, who joined Burberry as chief creative officer in 2018, said in a statement.

“I envisioned the people of this space, like the lighthouse keeper, and a love affair between a mermaid and a shark, set against the ocean, then brought to land,” he added, saying the circle represented regrowth, renewal and life.

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The collection featured trench coats, fisherman-inspired bib-front trousers and sheer-chiffon trousers detailed with printed shorts.

Like other fashion houses, Burberry has been hit hard Covid-19, with sales in its first quarter down 45 per cent. The company has said there will be no quick recovery, despite sales returning to pre-Covid-19 levels in mainland China in June.

Burberry’s was one of only four actual shows taking place at fashion week, and Caroline Rush, the chief executive of the British Fashion Council, said designers were using the limits imposed by the virus to think of alternative ways to show off their work.

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In Milan next week, many major brands will also opt for virtual or closed-door shows, accepting the loss of the live experience as the cost of keeping buyers and staff safe, although some brands will still have live events.

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