Creative director Johnny Coca set out to forge a new lifestyle image for Mulberry with a debut collection inspired by women he sees on the street.
Backstage, Coca said his goal was to “create something very strong, very honest, very British” — while keeping a close eye on what women actually wear as they go about their everyday lives.
“It’s very important to be very specific and unique and keep a very strong character and eccentricity.”
It was a promising — if imperfect — start, with Coca keeping shapes and fabrics classic. He worked felted wool into military cape coats with metal snaps — round, shiny and shaped like M&Ms — and also used it for lean, tailored coats in an autumnal palette of olive, aubergine and navy, some with contrast stitching.
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Softness came in the form of knit dresses with swooshy skirts and leather ones with ruffles down the front. Fluttery organza dresses came with an exploded flower print.
Those metal details were everywhere — on shoes, bags and skirts — and sometimes Coca was a little too generous with them. They weighed down the skirts and made the heels look heavy.
Bags, the heart of the collection and the brand’s money machine, were structured, blocked with different colors and types of skins, or adorned with chains or studs. They ranged from shoppers to compact shoulder styles.
“You can’t just focus on one bag. It’s more like what you have on the street. It’s important to have a wide range of proportion and function,” he said.