Mulberry launches Nicholas Daley collaboration

Mulberry has unveiled the latest iteration of its Mulberry Editions designer collaboration series featuring emerging London-based designer Nicholas Daley, who has designed a capsule of bags and music-inspired accessories.

Daley, known for exploring his dual Jamaican and Scottish heritage and music, has reinterpreted Mulberry’s classic unisex ‘Antony’ satchel for the collaboration, as well as introducing Mulberry’s first foray into music accessories, with a guitar strap, a saxophone strap and a plectrum case.

For the capsule, Daley has evoked the era-defining sonic movements of the 1960s and 1970s the heydays of jazz, reggae and rock’n’roll, updating the ‘Antony’ with whipstitch, fringe and braided motifs in a nod to the outfits and accessories worn by Miles Davis, Roy Ayers and Jimi Hendrix on stage.

The bags come in five size options, including a new oversized iteration, and Daley has also updated Mulberry’s signature hardware, flipping its Postman’s Lock, so the twist goes north to south and framing it with fine embroidery.

The tonal palette for the capsule features navy, ochre and oak, with contrasting panels of suede, grained leather and cotton canvas to echo the rich textural plays of Daley’s ready-to-wear collections.

Mulberry x Nicholas Daley introduces music accessories for the first time

The collaboration also allows Daley to bring his love of music to the forefront, with a series of luxury musical accessories, a first for Mulberry, which were created specifically with Daley’s close community of stage-performing musicians in mind.

The music accessories include fringed guitar and saxophone straps, crafted in complementary suede tones, alongside a plectrum case and bucket hat featuring embroidery techniques that echo artisanal leather goods found across North Africa and the Caribbean.

Commenting on the collection, Daley said in a statement: “This range has been created with the musicians I’ve worked with in mind - almost like an accessories wardrobe for them to wear on stage.

“Collaborating with Mulberry has been such a privilege. I’ve always felt a strong sense of alignment with the brand’s support of British craftsmanship, as well as its stance on sustainability. The team were so open and supportive in bringing new ideas to life, I’m excited for people to resonate with the pieces, and love and wear them for years to come.”

The Mulberry x Nicholas Daley collection also highlights the British brand’s sustainable business practices, combining Mulberry’s ‘Made to Last’ ethos with Daley’s community-conscious approach to design. As the regular and oversized Antony models have been crafted at Mulberry’s carbon-neutral factories in Somerset, and all leathers and suedes used are accredited by the Leather Working Group, the leading global certification for responsible leather manufacturing.

Thierry Andretta, chief executive at Mulberry, added: “We are proud to reveal Nicholas Daley’s chapter in Mulberry Editions. Daley’s vision for modern British craft, his passion for music culture, as well as a commitment to sustainable craft that shares our Made to Last ethos, makes him a truly exciting creative partner for Mulberry.”

To mark the launch, Daley and Mulberry have produced a film showcasing the bags in a live jazz session, with a specially written composition by Sons of Kemet frontman Shabaka Hutchings, accompanied by Grammy-nominated recording artist Lianne La Havas. The film also highlights other artists within Daley’s “creative community” including Daisy George, Jasmine Kayser and Shirley Tettah, and a horn section featuring Grifton Forbes-Amos, Elijah Clarke and David Laleye-Thomas.

The Mulberry x Nicholas Daley collection launches in-store and on Mulberry.com on January 13. Prices range from 150 pounds for the plectrum pouch to 1,795 pounds for the oversized Antony.