Simone Ashley and Tom Blyth lead the Burberry High Summer 2026 campaign, set at the lido and focused on Britain’s open-air pool culture. The project centers on a shared summer rhythm, where families, friends, and neighbors gather around water as soon as the weather shifts. They are joined by Alva Claire, Babacar N’Doye, Sacha Quenby, and a group of synchronized swimmers and divers who move through the space with precision.
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Daniel Lee directs the campaign’s concept, framing the lido as a familiar setting shaped by memory and routine. He focuses on the way people respond to sun and water, building scenes that reflect time spent outdoors. The film follows a loose sequence that moves from loungers to diving boards, where bodies stretch, rest, and cut through the air. Towels mark out space by the pool, signaling the start of the day as groups settle into place.
Director Francis Plummer shapes the film with a fluid camera that tracks motion across the setting. Photographer Ryan McGinley captures still images that hold the same sense of movement, focusing on light and surface. The visuals carry a warm, hazy quality, where afternoon light settles across skin, fabric, and water. The soundtrack features the TONE remix of “Beating” by Tirzah.
The collection builds around Burberry Check, presented in sand beige and pastel tones that include aubergine purple and cornflower blue. Swimwear introduces the check through bikinis, one-piece swimsuits, and men’s swim shorts, where trims and placement guide the pattern across each piece.
Poolside dressing extends through separates that include tops, skirts, and shirts cut from cotton voile. Cover-up dresses carry tonal check and deckchair-inspired stripes, with ruffled trims and ties at the neckline that shift with movement. Ribbed cotton jersey tank tops feature check straps, while lightweight wool silk scarves wrap around the body.
Menswear continues this direction through relaxed tailoring. Collared shirts and shorts introduce updated versions of the Burberry Check through textured weaves and embroidered detail. A coordinated set appears in lightweight cotton poplin, printed with a seahorse motif in honeysuckle pink. Cotton piqué polo shirts expand the color range, moving between vivid tones and neutrals, while T-shirts in soft cotton jersey carry check along the collar and placket.
Outerwear focuses on lightweight hooded jackets designed for shifting conditions, with check patterns in aubergine purple and cornflower blue. Footwear introduces the Knight Runner sneaker in a low-profile shape suited for summer movement. Sandals include the whipstitched leather Baez and suede Urchin styles trimmed with check, alongside slides and Pavilion sandals designed for the beach.
Accessories complete the collection with Margate bags handcrafted in Madagascar from raffia palm leaves, dyed in sand beige Burberry Check. Crocheted bucket hats and wraparound sunglasses extend the focus on sun and protection.
