An Idyllic Revival at Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer 2015

For his most recent collection as the newly-minted chief creative officer and CEO of the Burberry Group, Christopher Bailey presented a vivid and pastoral assortment of pieces for the Spring/Summer 2015 Prorsum collection. The coats were crafted in blooming colors of rose, violet and periwinkle, with the trademark hand-painted festive prints that many have come to associate with the Prorsum label.

The collection is not solely limited to coats, of course. Transparent silk dresses with oversized sashes, jubilant men’s suits and a striking royal-blue shirt-dress with sky-blue trim, strolled down the runway as well. All of which were paired with flat shoes, to give a casual feel to the extravagance. As a whole, the pieces combine the ideal concept of spring, with the vibrant colors of “the Swinging ‘60s”.

“With Burberry, [the design] always starts with … taking elements of our history and culture and putting them into … the dynamics and speed of the way we all live today,” Bailey says in a 2011 interview with Stylist. “That’s our job: to keep it relevant and exciting so it remains that way for years to come.”

While the collection definitely holds its own in contemporary fashion trends, it could stand to use some editing. The cream ruffle-hemmed denim jackets and chiffon-disc dresses seem arbitrary, and one could argue that the hand-painted prints are mostly a spirited palette swap with Prorsum’s current collection. Though the pieces feel somewhat safe, they are a solid precursor to what Bailey has to offer in the future.