Riccardo Tisci’s debut for Burberry included all the very British elements you might expect, like reworked trench coats and the brand’s signature plaid. But it also included a seat-belt-like contraption that involved an umbrella attached to a belt secured with a padlock, all of which was worn over a suit. We have some questions.
As a means for carrying an umbrella, this set-up seems impractical. Oh dear, it’s raining — better find my keys! So perhaps it’s actually a metaphor. Might it signify the symbolic chains applied to businessmen who wear Burberry suits the world over, shackled to their jobs? Or perhaps it’s a commentary on climate change and unpredictable weather patterns? Really, it reminds one of the original chain belt-with-a-padlock, the chastity belt. Just for men! True, the piece technically wouldn’t prevent sexual activity, but wearing it certainly would make it less likely.
