MILAN, Jan 15, 2006/ FW/ --- If some designers are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them, how should we think of Christopher Bailey?

His home town of Halifax, set the heart of the industrialized north of England isn’t exactly known as a fashion hotbed so it has probably taken a lot of hard work as well as talent for him to get where he is today.

Taking the bow for his best menswear collection to date however, in what should have been his moment of glory, the shy designer looked more embarrassed than anything else, perhaps realizing that now he will have even more attention and praise to deal with.

Dressing-up was the order of the day with ruffled shirts and cummerbunds appearing on day wear and lustrously dark pin stripes, tightly knotted ties and waistcoats defining lean silhouettes.

All of these would have risked giving an overly formal feel had they not been beautifully balanced with low-slung studded belts, bobble hats, skater chains and bohemian winkle pickers.

Trench coats have been the bedrock of the House since Thomas Burberry invented gabardine, the original waterproof fabric, before the First Word War and here Bailey showed why he is a worthy heir.

Herringbone and houndstooth provided orthodox references while a lavish burgundy on black velvet brocade was nothing short of sumptuous, quilted soft leather numbers providing sportier options.

Colors were solemn and decadent, drawn from burgundy, black, claret and brown but especially purple and greys which spanned from profound to clearer, bluish tones. Not that it was all too serious though with black and claret twinned in leopard prints, and red touches speckling a crisp white shirt for example.

Getting used to adulation may prove harder for Bailey than designing clothes, but what is coming to be taken for granted is the man’s ability not only to understand where Burberry has come from, but also to define a clear vision of where it is going.

Burberry Prorsum

Burberry Prorsum

Burberry Prorsum

Burberry Prorsum