I’ll have you know, there was hot competition for this piece. Well, maybe not “hot”. Or any competition at all. But if there had been I would have won, because (some of) Girls Generation were in my country, in the very place I spent my early childhood, walking in the garden I’ve played in and…well unfortunately not wearing clothes I’ve worn.
Ah yes, the fashion. Now Burberry is famous for four things in England: its campaigns, which have included the likes of Emma Watson and most recently Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, the fact it used to be worn by football hooligans, that iconic red, black and camel check, and how it is very, very British. If SM is planning to invade us anytime soon it’s doing a grand job; first SHINee at Abbey Road and now this. Maybe EXO’s next teaser will feature them doing a material arts Countdown or Siwon can upload a selca of himself eating fish and chips.
Whatever you think of the label, it’s a prestigious event, attended this year by the likes of Kate Moss, star of Spielberg’s War Horse Jeremy Irvine , Kate Bosworth, Andy Murray (tennis players are celebrities thank you very much) and Will.I.Am, who was in town for the Brit Awards, but probably secretly there to spy for 2NE1.
I have to admit though, when I think of Girls Generation I still tend to think in pinks, bright greens and yellows. Maybe Burberry, with its more refined colour palette and layered look is a nod to the how the girls are maturing, and it is certainly a recognisable and historic (Burberry made uniforms in WW1) label so perhaps it suits the girls better than first impression suggest. I’ve also noticed the popularity of the trench coat in K-pop idols, and it is the trench coat that is the staple of any Burberry collection. Not to mention all the girls were seen sporting Burberry Prorsum at the 20th Seoul Music Awards, even if some of the outfits left something to be desired.
So let’s get onto what Tiffany, Yoona and Seohyun wore. Obviously it was Burberry, taken from the S/S 2012 collection for the most high end and 
decadent brand, Burberry Prorsum. Personally I think this is the best collection of the last few years after the ruched, pastel debacle we have seen previously. The colours are more harmonious and sophisticated; the cut is flattering even if you aren’t rail-thin.
Tiffany wore the Silk Blend Trench Coat and Beaded Woven Wedge Sandals, which I’m not too sure about. The trench coat was chic and regal without being ostentatious and really suited her new hair, which is my favourite hairstyle on her ever. It’s soft and frames her features beautifully, meaning her make-up could be kept natural. However the shoes looked too chunky for the rest of her outfit and highlighted how bony her legs are. I think Tiffany is a very pretty young woman but she looked too skinny here. Taking off the trench coat didn’t make matters any better. I much preferred the original style of the dress, while Tiffany’s was very short, lumpy and unflattering. Amazing then, that after all that I still think she managed to look elegant and eye-catching.
Seohyun was unfortunately only allowed one outfit, the Eclectic Print Trench Coat and Striped Wedge Woven Leather Boots. Still, I liked her bag (Herringbone Woven Rattan Clutch) and the bold pattern and contrasting colours stood out from her more plainly dressed bandmates and suited her dark hair. Actually, can we talk about Seohyun’s hair for a moment please? I’d really love to see some more experimenting with it, not even dye or a drastic length change, but maybe some interesting buns or plaits. I think it is often the same, and it makes Seohyun look boring, but her hair has so much potential! The only things I didn’t like about her outfit was the belt, seen on the catwalk accessorising Yoona’s dress. It clashed with the print of her coat and didn’t add anything to the outfit that a plain belt couldn’t. The coat also hit a slightly awkward point on her legs, but being a SNSD girl she pulled it off.
Finally we have Yoona, who despite not appealing to me aesthetically at all looked the best out of the trio. Her dress wasn’t worn with the teasing catwalk cleavage, but the slit at the side made it flirtatious enough to make up for the modest peasant-style panelling and puffed sleeves. While the words “classic” and “timeless” are overused in fashion, I can’t help but think they really apply to this dress, so I’ll use them again. Her shoes complimented nicely, only if it was me I would have chosen a less gladiatorial look and gone down the brogues route.
Overall I think fashion-wise they held their end up well, better than the actual faces of Burberry. But I was disappointed they didn’t seem to make more of an opportunity. I’ve already mentioned there were some big, influential faces there and a picture with the above mentioned people or maybe even the wife of our Prime Minister, Samantha Cameron, would have been a smart move to further integrate themselves in Western society. If they took a picture with Eddie Redmayne (current face of Burberry, star of My Week with Marilyn, West End and BBC golden boy) I think I would have to get the picture turned into wallpaper and it would definatly have gained them respect with British females. But they did get a picture with C-pop superstar Jolin Tsai, and Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer Christoper Bailey. At any rate, they behaved impeccably, which is more than can be said for some idols in foreign countries. Ahem.
To sum up, I was so pleased to see such important members of K-pop making an impression on a corner of my turf, dressed in a brand I love dearly. While I would have dressed the girls slightly different, they still looked refined and fashionable. What do you think about the outfits? (to stick with the British theme) Yay or Nay?
