London Fashion Week AW11: Burberry

Who: Burberry Prorsum

What: Fur, coats and capes in an earthy palette with punches of pop colour.

Thoughts: Like the rest of the fash pack without a ticket, we headed to London’s Piccadilly Circus to watch Burberry Prorsum stream its autumn/winter 2011 collection live on the advertising screen, keen to witness a fashion moment in the making.

It didn’t prove quite the poignant spectacle we’d hoped for, shown on the smallest segment without sound but with enough screen freezes and TFL ad interruptions to send us to an early grave, but a second screening at our desks provided all the captive atmosphere we missed first time around.

Leather may have defined Burberry and its bikers for the past two seasons, but for autumn/winter 2011 the power house is hailing hair. On sleeves of tops, stoles on jackets, forming sumptuous coats or cuffing and hemming others, fur is Bailey’s fabric of choice next season, and he’s using it decadently.

Leather still makes an appearance, though, in piping on padded macs, across skinny bow belts or on the trim of a dress. Chic wool coats in vibrant checks, bright block colours or earthy tones provide extra warmth, while wool-fleck matching separates and long-sleeved shift dresses with balloon skirts see ready-to-wear looking weather-appropriate, too.

Worried about your fur getting wet? In a spectacular finale, Burberry’s got your back as models unite on the runway wearing matching black-trimmed clear Perspex capes over their cold-ready coats as a flurry of snow falls onto the catwalk – now that’s a moment.

It’s not quite as exciting as in previous seasons, but Burberry’s latest collection is contemporary and commercial nonetheless (with a more sensual slant over the usually sexy aesthetic), and simple, sumptuous elements still leaves us impressed – as they did Kate Bosworth, Rachel Bilson and Alexa Chung sitting front row.

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