Johnny Coca leads British label Mulberry’s comeback with bags of attitude

Spaniard behind some of Celine’s best bags has added sophistication, and studs, to floundering brand’s classic shapes. He explains his focus on production techniques, attitude and pricing

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“I love tartan, I love so many British references,” says Johnny Coca, creative director of Mulberry.

Published: 9:01pm, 11 Apr 2016Updated: 9:00pm, 11 Apr 2016

Until two months ago it had been more than two years since Mulberry last staged a fashion show. The British fashion and accessories brand was left rudderless when creative director Emma Hill departed; then a new CEO, Bruno Guillon, made the ill-fated decision to reposition the brand with rapid expansion overseas – at a time when the Chinese market was looking especially lucrative to European designer brands – and then raised the price of its handbags. It was a disaster.

The brand ignored its core customer in Britain, where the receiving of one’s first Mulberry handbag is a rite of passage for a teenager, and 2015 pre-tax profits plummeted 87 per cent.

A model with Maple tote during the Mulberry catwalk show at the autumn/winter 2016 London Fashion Week.

Now Thierry Andretta (formerly of Gucci and LVMH) has taken over as CEO and the talented creative director is Johnny Coca, the man responsible, alongside Phoebe Philo, for all Celine’s most successful bags over the past few years – notably the Trapeze and Daria bags – and the posh skater shoes.

His 15-year track record in prestige leather goods, which includes long spells at Louis Vuitton and Michael Kors (when the American was designing for Celine), emphasises Mulberry’s desire to win back its position as Britain’s premier accessory brand.