After a big and bold consumer-facing fashion show in London, Mulberry unveiled its latest collection with more hushed tones in Paris today. The presentation space in the Marais was made to look like the inside of a mirrored boudoir and was filled with all manner of froufrou trophy pieces, including the requisite marabou-trimmed mules. Mulberry creative director Johnny Coca has a healthy appetite for kitsch, drawing on English floral wallpaper prints for his candy-color ’70s-style looks this time around. The idea, as Coca explained it, was to inject some sunshine into the doldrums of a Fall wardrobe. The lurid house dresses and nighties were cut with the same exaggerated proportions as in seasons past, and were set in motion on a film screen with the help of artist Sharna Osborne.
Mulberry has had repeat success with Coca’s Amberley bag designs, and there was a slew of new versions to choose from, including a few that were coated with colorful glitter and one studded with jumbo pearls. Coca made a name for himself in the accessories division at Céline, and it’s clear that bags continue to be his strong suit. The new jewelry box–style purses had a bijou-like charm that managed to toe the line between practical and pretty where other trendy micro bags have failed. In other words, they fit all the surprisingly large smartphones many of us carry these days along with everything else. Mulberry has yet to confirm whether it’ll go with a see-now-buy-now affair in London again next season. In fact, there seems to be talk of an international event on the agenda. Wherever the brand decides to show in the future, it’s worth noting that it still has roots in British manufacturing—many of its bags bear a made-in-England stamp. It would be nice to see that heritage celebrated in a bigger way.
