Wiping the slate clean has become an empowering gesture for new creative directors taking the helm of established luxury brands — even if the most recent wipe happened only a few years ago.

In the case of Burberry, the logo reboot was in 2018.

It was difficult to miss the equestrian knight motif racing across the new Spring 2023 Burberry Campaign as part of “the first creative expression” shared by Daniel Lee, Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer.

For AOC, our focus was on the faces of the British heritage brand Burberry, the visualization of who wears this brand.

Reading fashion press, the obsession is on the logo and not the faces. It’s much less treacherous territory than the route AOC is taking.

CEO Jonathan Akeroyd, who arrived at Burberry from Versace late last year, has identified Britishness as key to Burberry’s brand DNA and financial success as a luxury brand.

Daniel Lee, with roots in West Yorkshire, England agrees. “Burberry flies the flag for Britishness and for the UK and for culture. So, we have to use our platforms because we have a responsibility to communicate those things,” Lee told ‘Vogue Runway’ in December.

The designer continued:

"I don’t know if this is the right way to say this, but more than surprising people, I really would like them to see the new vision and feel reassured — like, ‘Oh, yeah, this makes sense: This is what Burberry should be.’”

Photographer Tyrone Lebon [IG] teamed up with a cross section of contemporary talent that includes John Glacier, Jun Ji-hyun, Lennon Gallagher, Liberty Ross, Raheem Sterling, Shygirl, Skepta, and Vanessa Redgrave.

Most — but not all — of the faces have strong heritage ties to Britain.

Being British in 2023

Therein lies the wonderful creative opportunity ahead for Daniel Lee, from a marketing viewpoint. What does it mean to be British in 2023?

In late November 2022, Lady Susan Hussey, a close friend of Queen Elizabeth II was forced to resign and to apologize for “unacceptable” comments made to a Black British woman at a palace reception to address violence against women.

I knew who the woman was immediately — Ngozi Fulani, founder of Sistah Space for women of domestic violence. As Lady Hussey moved her braids [OMG!!] in an effort to read her name tag, I simply shook my head.

A hand shake, accompanied by an introduction, would have avoided all this tension at what was an official Buckingham Palace event around leading activists and change makers in Britain.

But Lady Hussey is a member of the old guard.

As Hussey continued to press Fulani to share where she’s really from . . . presumably her African ancestors 250 years ago — it was clear that being born in Britan to British citizens did not identify Fulani as being genuinely British.

British Vogue covered Ngozi Fulani in January 2021 under the Meghan Markle-introduced ‘Forces for Change’ category of Brits and global activists who are at the front of her radar.

What Does Daniel Lee Mean that His Burberry Will Help Brits Feel Assured?

We understand these tragic moments in America, and my suggestion is that Burberry team up with British Vogue and they deliver a monthly dossier to the royal staff on ‘who is who’ among British activists, entrepreneurs, sustainability leaders and change makers.

Returning to Lee, he acknowledged that his desire to reassure Brits about Burberry’s place and meaning in their lives could be misunderstood.

So AOC throws no shade his way — because my life is devoted to doing cleanup in aisle 5 by fellow Americans. The truth os that Lee has a spectacular opportunity to become a critical, cultural voice in Britain via Burberry.

But he should neither avoid — not underestimate — the task before him, for taking this route. AOC supports the approach 110%, but it’s a minefield for misunderstanding the best intentions.

I just checked. Whew! I trust you checked, too, Daniel Lee.