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The English designer joins the British luxury label, replacing Riccardo Tisci after months of speculation.
LONDON — Burberry has named Daniel Lee as its new chief creative officer. After months of speculation, the news came less than 48 hours after a runway show from the Italian designer Riccardo Tisci — a collection that proved to be his swan song with the British luxury house.
The appointment, announced Wednesday, marks the return of a British designer to the top of Britain’s largest luxury brand by sales. The company reported 2.8 billion pounds (now, $3 billion) in revenue for the year ended April 2. It is also the most dramatic change to the house under its new chief executive, Jonathan Akeroyd.
Mr. Lee, 36, was most recently creative director of Bottega Veneta from 2018 until 2021, when his abrupt departure from the Italian label that he had transformed into a hit machine shocked the fashion world, raising eyebrows. His appointment at Burberry comes six months after the arrival of Mr. Akeroyd, as Burberry looks to reposition itself following the muted success under Mr. Tisci and its former chief executive, Marco Gobbetti (a fellow Italian).
Mr. Lee, who was born in Bradford in the north of England, will join Burberry on Monday and oversee all Burberry collections, according to a statement from the brand. He is to present his debut runway collection for Burberry during London Fashion Week in February.
“Daniel is an exceptional talent with a unique understanding of today’s luxury consumer and a strong record of commercial success,” Mr. Akeroyd said in the statement, “and his appointment reinforces the ambitions we have for Burberry.”
Becoming queen. Following the death of King George VI, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary ascended to the throne on Feb. 6, 1952, at age 25. The coronation of the newly minted Queen Elizabeth II took place on June 2 the following year.
A historic visit. On May 18, 1965, Elizabeth arrived in Bonn on the first state visit by a British monarch to Germany in more than 50 years. The trip formally sealed the reconciliation between the two nations following the world wars.
First grandchild. In 1977, the queen stepped into the role of grandmother for the first time, after Princess Anne gave birth to a son, Peter. Elizabeth’s four children have given her a total of eight grandchildren, who have been followed by several great-grandchildren.
Princess Diana’s death. In a rare televised broadcast ahead of Diana’s funeral in 1997, Queen Elizabeth remembered the Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash in Paris at age 36, as “an exceptional and gifted human being.”
Golden jubilee. In 2002, celebrations to mark Elizabeth II’s 50 years as queen culminated in a star-studded concert at Buckingham Palace in the presence of 12,000 cheering guests, with an estimated one million more watching on giant screens set up around London.
A trip to Ireland. In May 2011, the queen visited the Irish Republic, whose troubled relationship with the British monarchy spanned centuries. The trip, infused with powerful symbols of reconciliation, is considered one of the most politically freighted trips of Elizabeth’s reign.
Breaking a record. As of 5:30 p.m. British time on Sept. 9, 2015, Elizabeth II became Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, surpassing Queen Victoria, her great-great-grandmother. Elizabeth was 89 at the time, and had ruled for 23,226 days, 16 hours and about 30 minutes.
Marking 70 years of marriage. On Nov. 20, 2017, the queen and Prince Philip celebrated their 70th anniversary, becoming the longest-married couple in royal history. The two wed in 1947, as the country and the world was still reeling from the atrocities of World War II.
Losing her spouse. In 2021, Queen Elizabeth II bade farewell to Prince Philip, who died on April 9. An image of the queen grieving alone at the funeral amid coronavirus restrictions struck a chord with viewers at home following the event.
Mr. Lee, who also has worked at Maison Margiela, Balenciaga and Donna Karan and Celine, went from relative unknown to industry superstar in less than three years at Bottega Veneta, garnering critical acclaim and industry awards. He sent sales soaring thanks to his slick shoe and handbag designs, including a leather pouch and square-toe woven pump. But despite his talent for drumming up commercial success, behind the scenes speculation bubbled continually about his work practices. There was high staff turnover and when he left the Italian label last November, no reason was given.
Mr. Tisci, who replaced Christopher Bailey, is departing Burberry after almost five years, a period in which he sought to modernize its offerings and logo as well as to attract younger, more diverse customers. However soaring prices and slick but soulless designs meant that Burberry never quite reached the heights hoped for by fans and investors alike — or that Mr. Tisci was able to create at his previous job at Givenchy. Burberry also had lost the link to its British heritage that had set it apart from every other major luxury brand.
His spring collection, which was supposed to be shown during London Fashion Week, was postponed after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Instead, the event took place on Monday — prompting much of the fashion industry to return from shows in Milan and Paris for a presentation that had a decidedly mournful air.
Mr. Akeroyd, previously chief executive of Versace and Alexander McQueen, has been vocal since his arrival earlier this year about his desire for greater emphasis on Burberry’s Britishness. And Mr. Lee is considered one of the biggest British design talents in the world.
Luca Solca, a luxury analyst at the research firm Sanford C. Bernstein, noted that Mr. Lee “has demonstrated the ability to create a highly successful new chapter for Bottega Veneta — particularly with shoes and handbags — and so far Burberry has struggled to make its make in these categories and create high profile iconic products.”
On Wednesday, Mr. Lee said in Burberry’s statement that he was very excited to be returning to London.
“It is a city that champions pioneering creativity and that continues to inspire me,” he said. “Together with the team, we will write the exciting next chapter for this legendary British luxury brand.”