British heritage brand Burberry switched things up for autumn/winter 2021, presenting a menswear focused collection instead of their usual mix of men’s and women’s clothing.

Designed by chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci, the collection “celebrates a connection to the outdoors” and was teased with a video showing a Burberry clad model running across a field and through central London to reach the brand’s Regent Street store, where the presentation was set.

Models made their way around an angular pale-coloured set, the grain of the wooden steps reflected in the fabric of the first look, which comprised a trademark Burberry trench over a knee-length dress printed with a woodgrain pattern.

More dresses and skirts followed, some in the same woodgrain print, others plain black and pleated or with fringing details.

A video shared online earlier this week showed an embroidered emblem featuring the words ‘Eternal’, ‘Kinship’ and ‘Fluidity’, which may explain why the collection featured garments more often seen on the womenswear catwalk.

The ‘Wilderness’ range, Burberry said, “gently challenges and subtly reinvents traditions, inviting freedom of expression”. To that end, there was still a sense of restraint in terms of the designs.

Alongside the boundary-pushing skirts, Tisci played to the brand’s strengths with some incredible outerwear. Trenches were given a new twist with the addition of scarf belts, while duffle coats were extra chunky, and there was a distinctly preppy feel to the maroon letterman jackets.

The ‘connection to the outdoors’ came through with high-collared faux fur coats, utility style bags slung over one shoulder, and backpacks topped with umbrellas and rolled up blankets.

Apart from the odd flash of bright blue and some golden detailing, the show featured a sombre colour palette of blacks, browns and greys, perhaps inspired by the gloomy times in which we’re living.

Whatever the reason, this was a cool and confident showing for Tisci. Celebrating the power of fashion as a form of self expression, this slick presentation is one of the highlights of London Fashion Week so far.