In the midst of the kind of cross-Atlantic, in-and-out press junket that renders most sluggish and surly, Christopher Bailey, chief creative officer of the reborn Burberry brand, is spirited, cordial and fresh. When it’s noted that his in-person appearance puts him a step ahead of many of his peers, his reply is simple: “But it’s their baby, how can they not?”
The baby in question: Burberry’s latest fragrance, Burberry Sport (from $68, at department stores). And it’s clear Bailey cares for the legendary U.K. house and its new scent as if they were his own flesh and blood.
Inheriting established traditions can be a double-edged sword, especially in the fickle world of fashion. For every brave step a young designer takes to move a couture house forward, there is intense scrutiny and, sometimes, unforgiving consequences. Just ask Marc Jacobs about his time at Perry Ellis.
When Bailey joined Burberry in 2001 after stints at Donna Karan and Gucci, he was only 30 years old. The shoes he slipped into were smarting from an aging image and an unwanted association—via the ubiquitous tartan—with football hooligans. But Bailey was up for the task; a fiercely dedicated and intelligent multi-tasker, he was as knowledgeable of the company’s history as he was sure of the direction he could take it in. For Burberry Sport, that meant taking a road less travelled.
“Sport is part of the [company’s] heritage,” he explains. “We came from that world before—it was another facet of Burberry that not everybody knows about.”
Founder Thomas Burberry’s early mandate focused on a number of outdoor pursuits. “[The clothes] were created for racing, motor racing and bikes, mountaineering, expeditions, climbing, a lot of shooting,” Bailey says, and this fresh-air vibe is what he’s aiming for with the new fragrance.
“I sat with the noses and I was pretty specific,” he says. “I knew I wanted it to have grapefruit and ginger. I kept talking to the noses about it feeling fresh and energizing. I wanted it to feel very outdoorsy, so I kept testing it outdoors instead of in my office.”
First published in FASHION Magazine May 2010
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