Since news broke last October that Christopher Bailey was stepping down from his position at the helm of Burberry after 17 years, rumours have circulated about who might succeed him. Would it be Phoebe Philo, who announced her departure from Céline in December? Would it be Kim Jones, the former creative director of menswear at Louis Vuitton ? The fashion rumour mill whirred excitedly and over the past few weeks at the AW18 shows, particularly after Christopher Bailey's swan song , it has been the hot word on every editor's lips.