As the sun set in London, inside the SS26 Burberry tent – rendered, fittingly, in the house’s iconic weatherproof gabardine – it was painted blue skies overhead, baked earth below.

Music was the undercurrent of the season, specifically festivals and subcultures, the eternal twin forces of youth code. And to understand that particular beat, you have to trace it back to the US, to Monterey, to Woodstock, to Hendrix setting guitars and ideals alight. And then to Worthy Farm, 1970. That ethos didn’t disappear, it just shape-shifted: into 90s Britpop, 00s indie, and now, the new rock ’n’ roll revival and rap poets carving their own riffs and resistance.“Musicians have always been pioneers – fearless in the way they dress and sound,’ said Lee. Because what’s style without a soundtrack?

Speaking of soundtracks, out of all the brands showing at LFW, who would’ve thought it’d be Burberry to pay tribute to Ozzy ‘Prince of Darkness’ Osbourne? Yet here we were, in a tent filled with Sabbath: N.I.B., You Won’t Change Me, and the cosmic swirl of Planet Caravan – played loud, as they only ever should be. Apparently, Lee has been listening to Sabbath on repeat since Ozzy left us.

On the dusty runway, there were biker jackets, crochet minidresses, and thrifted, tailored fits. Graphic tees, slim denim, skinny scarves and Britpop cuts – in hair and in leather. Tarot card prints inspired by British artist Pamela Colman Smith, alongside swinging daisy motifs, while the tailoring was lean, mod-ish, and androgynous: mohair wool suits and three-button blazers paired with striped shirting, skinny silk ties and python-print boots. There were laser-cut and whipstitched leather trenches, chainmail dresses in Burberry check, and a punk pink Harrington (“Pink is the only true rock ‘n’ roll colour” – Paul Simonon). A mood of reverence swirled – not to a specific era, but to the emotional charge of music itself. “Music is about self-expression, originality and belonging,’ said Lee, “From festivals and stadiums to open-air concerts, every summer the UK comes to life with style and sound.”