The New Face of Burberry

I would like to preface this by saying that I am one of those people that think models should model and actors should act. I will point out that there are several obvious exceptions like Milla Jovovich (love her) :


Buttttt, I think in most cases high fashion should be sold by models and worn by actresses on the red carpet. That is why I'm annoyed with Burberry...a label I generally equate with luxury and high fashion to be having Emma Watson (Harry Potter heroine) to represent their brand (in fact it makes me throw up a little in my mouth) for Autumn/Winter 2009/2010. Please view the photos below (the best I can say is that she is channeling Victoria Beckham in the second photo...but seriously, I would have just gone with Posh who to me does represent opulence, success, and class which goes along with Burberry's branding) and then we can appropriately judge:
The campaign was shot by Mario Testino and directed by Burberry's CD, Christopher Bailey who stated that Watson was a "classic beauty, a great character, and a modern edge." No offense Mr. Bailey, but she is average and not particularly edgy. I understand that after the scandal with Kate Moss and la cocaina (personally, who cares, she's a fantastic and super talented model but I suppose it was a publicity nightmare...but it takes nothing away from the beauty of the pictures that she takes) they probably wanted someone safe...but fashion is not safe. And just because you want a brand to connect and have common ground with a certain consumer base that you are trying to cultivate does not mean that you can give attributes like edgy to someone that is clearly not.

Similarly, Burberry's choice to show their Spring/Summer 2010 collection at London Fashion Week instead of Milan fashion week probably has something to do with choosing her, but the UK has a lot of edgy, youthful models that could introduce Burberry to late teens and early twenties and most Burberry customers I'm thinking will not appreciate the commercialization of high fashion and a blatent pandering to the lowest common denominator...POORLY done Burberry!!!!!