BRITISH WHIMSY: Burberry on Tuesday revealed an arty and playful capsule collection with illustrator Quentin Blake, best known for his collaboration with children’s book author Roald Dahl.
The range spans women’s, men’s and childrenswear, featuring bold, hand-drawn motifs that bring Blake’s characters and feathered forms onto the British heritage luxury house’s staples.
Burberry x Quentin Blake capsule
Trenchcoats are reworked with Burberry’s lightest shower-resistant tropical gabardine featuring Blake’s feather artwork through artisanal techniques. The fit-and-flare Pembury trench style is lined in printed silk, while the narrow Foxfield carries an embroidered design, all finished with Burberry’s Equestrian Knight design and the artist’s signature.
Printed silk runs through the capsule in panels on knitted T-shirts, separates, ruffled dresses and scarves. The accessories also include cotton twill baseball caps and Scottish-woven, ultra-soft cashmere scarves.
Burberry x Quentin Blake capsule
“Sir Quentin Blake’s illustrations capture a sense of childhood magic. They have a very British style, and we wanted to bring his amazing creations into the world of Burberry,” said Daniel Lee, chief creative officer at Burberry.
A fixture of British art and children’s literature for nearly seven decades, Blake’s work is known for its instantly recognizable loose line, kinetic figures and narrative flair. Among his many accolades, he was knighted in 2013 for services to illustration and was appointed a Companion of Honour by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
The capsule launch underscores Burberry’s continuous arts patronage as it coincides with the Friday opening of the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, the U.K.’s first permanent space devoted to illustration.
Burberry x Quentin Blake capsule
Last December, the brand tapped New York-based artist Sarah Morris with her abstract geometric paintings and cinematic films, to reimagine its store facade in the Miami Design District to mark the opening of Art Basel Miami Beach.
In 2024, Burberry was the headline sponsor of the British Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale. It celebrated the occasion with two events.
The first was hosted by Russell Tovey and Robert Diament, founders of the “Talk Art” podcast, where John Akomfrah joined them, among others, on stage to discuss the commission and artistic practices. Later the same night, Lee hosted a soiree at Harry’s Bar with Honey Dijon, Skye McAlpine, Sophie Hicks, Sydney Lima and Tim Marlow in attendance.
