Christopher Bailey

>> Burberry is doing well, to say the least — thanks to sales of aviator jackets, shearling boots and sling bags, the brand posted a 21.6 percent rise in first-half revenues to 641 million pounds ($974.3 million), from 527 million pounds ($801 million) in the corresponding period last year. “These were high-quality sales — from main line stores rather than outlets," Stacey Cartwright, Burberry's CFO, stipulated. "And there were fewer markdowns than in the past."

Along with those numbers have come persistent rumors that Burberry could be the target of a takeover by a big luxury group — like PPR or LVMH — or a private equity fund. Cartwright declined to comment on the rumors, but did say: “We have a lot of growth ahead, and we’re keeping our heads down and getting on with our work. We’re delighted with the progress so far.” She added that Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts is “committed to this business as ever.”

A Citigroup report also addressed the rumors, determining that there was little “strategic and financial rationale for private equity money to enter so late in Burberry’s transformation story. Likewise, we struggle to find strategic rationale for PPR and LVMH to add another soft luxury brand to their portfolio.”

• Opening up the archives: Vogue's limited-edition prints — Vogue Daily
• Fascinating video: Madonna and Lourdes do a joint interview about clothing — The Cut
• Plus-size Elena Miro fashion show goes on after being dropped from Milan calendar — Stylelist
• This week I want to look like Carey Mulligan — Lucky
• Whitney Port on daytime sequins and other Fall must haves — People
• Bailey's Burberry inspiration — Vogue UK
• You Again premiere: Kristen Bell in Valentino — Red Carpet Fashion Awards
• Lady Gaga's meat dress gets preserved forever as beef jerky — Racked
• Katy Perry: too sexy for Sesame Street? — Teen Vogue
• Are sponsorships ruining creativity at London Fashion Week? — Fashionologie
• Chanel's outstanding pieces are just that — outstanding — Purse Blog

>> Burberry has been agressively pushing the bounderies of Internet marketing, but with Christopher Bailey's attention diverted, is it to the detriment of the clothes?

After last season's hit collection, Cathy Horyn writes of Bailey's Spring 2011 offering: "This was not Christopher Bailey’s best collection." She continues: "I also kept thinking that the collection lacked feeling — unless you count the pain of the models who cast off their raunchy heels on the runway. The last model toppled over a few yards from the backstage area and had to scramble back up. When I think of all the great collections that Mr. Bailey has done for Burberry, they’ve all been characterized by a sense of emotion that he was willing to put out there. It wasn’t all crass e-commerce." The Spring 2011 show was screened in real time at 25 Burberry stores, livestreamed online and selected outerwear and handbags were made simultaneously available on in-store iPads for purchase, with orders to be delivered in seven weeks time.

WWD agreed with Horyn: "Bailey skidded, at times, into dangerous territory. The biker jackets paved with spikes and studs were overwrought, and there was nothing elegant or fresh about those flashes of python on trousers, dresses, and jackets."

>> Burberry continues to position itself as the leading fashion house for all things digital. Last season, the brand was the first to livestream its show in 3-D, and afterwards, they offered up select pieces — 20 outerwear garments and all bags — on Burberry.com for customers to purchase right off the Fall 2010 runway, making them the first luxury house to take an e-commerce step of that magnitude.

Although Burberry declined to reveal sales results from that February online offer, it sounds like they're readying to do it again. For the upcoming Spring 2011 season, they just announced that even more of the runway collection (beyond just outerwear and handbags) will be available for immediate online purchase after the Prorsum show on Sept. 21 during London Fashion Week. Instead of waiting months for the items to be in stores like usual, customers who purchase during that time will receive their orders six to eight weeks later.

Get in on the [shearling madness . . .] with a look at Christopher Bailey's Fall 2010 Burberry Prorsum collection, courtesy of OnSugar blog the [haute] collective.

I MUST own a shearling this fall/winter. I was already lusting after one but when I stumbled on this pic from the September issue of Harper's Bazaar Spain, I am completely convinced.

See more Burberry after the jump

Hours before showing his spring 2011 menswear collection in Milan, Christopher Bailey chatted with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (who appears in Burberry's current campaign) for Interview magazine about the tight-knit Burberry family, a new beauty line, and his obsession with acoustic music.

In the past year and a half, Bailey has won Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards and the prestigious International Award by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Since 2001 he has been busy revolutionizing the house of Burberry—designing every collection, influencing the architecture of the brand's new headquarters, producing fragrances, launching a cosmetics line, scouting young bands for Burberry Acoustic, informing one of the most aggressive digital offerings to come from a fashion brand, and founding a charity with Burberry's CEO.

He's also fiercely loyal to his Burberry team, having worked with many of the same people (such as Mario Testino) since day one. Bailey explains, "I don’t like that idea of working with somebody one season and then it’s over. To me that feels somewhat superficial. . . When you’re loyal to somebody, you have a real mutual respect. And with that respect comes freedom and being open to talk very honestly with each other."

At the moment we're feeling a deep loyalty as well—to Bailey's fall 2010 collection aviator jackets:

Source: Craig McDean/Interview

>> Is PPR Eyeing Burberry? —Reports from the UK financial markets that Burberry may be acquired — first it was by LVMH, now it seems to be PPR circling — won't die. Needless to say, Burberry is doing well — the brand experienced a 30.6 percent sales hike in the first part of the year — and PPR is reportedly in the process of building its portfolio of brands. But spokespeople from PPR and Burberry both declined to comment on the speculation. [WWD]

Kate Bosworth, always a lady. She showed her pretty face to support Burberry designer Christopher Bailey's beauty launch. At a garden tea party in Beverly Hills, Kate wore a beige and gold sheer pre-Fall Burberry dress and neutral accessories. The tan belt breaks up the monochrome neutrals while a funky embellished bag adds a touch of whimsy. Tea time!

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