Mulberry to launch designer collaborations to celebrate 50th anniversary

Heritage brand Mulberry is collaborating with a series of contemporary designers as part of its 50th-anniversary celebrations - Priya Ahluwalia, Richard Malone and Nicholas Daley.

Described as the “most visionary designers of their generation” by Mulberry, each designer will create a capsule collection as part of its Mulberry Editions, a new offering of limited-edition accessories that will drop throughout 2021, starting in June.

Ahluwalia, Malone and Daley have each re-imagined an existing Mulberry silhouette, combining their “unique design ethos” with Mulberry’s British craftsmanship, made-to-last design, responsible innovation and community spirit values, explains the British fashion house.

Each collection aims to showcase “the inspirational design that springs from a meeting of creativity and craft expertise”.

Sustainability is also at the heart of each collaboration, with Mulberry adding that each designer has explored “in different ways” what luxury sustainable craft can mean in the 21st century, with an emphasis on low impact manufacturing, innovative sourcing and product circularity.

Mulberry said in a statement: “Ahluwalia, Malone and Daley are distinct, powerful voices within contemporary British culture. We are honoured to be working with them, and excited to introduce their capsules to a global audience this year.”

Mulberry to collaborate with Priya Ahluwalia, Richard Malone and Nicholas Daley

The first collaboration, launching in June will be with Priya Ahluwalia, who launched her eponymous multi-award winning label in 2018, after graduating from the MA Menswear course at The University of Westminster. Ahluwalia’s label combines elements from her dual Indian-Nigerian heritage and London roots and explores the potential of vintage and surplus clothing by giving existing materials new life through textile techniques.

This will be followed up in September with a capsule collection with Richard Malone. The London-based, Irish-born designer has become known for his “authenticity, resourcefulness and experimentation,” explains Mulberry. As well as his commitment to sustainability, community, local production and the development of a less harmful fashion business model, as he releases his collections in limited numbers.

The final Mulberry Edition collaboration will be with Nicholas Daley launching in November. Daley graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2013 and launched his eponymous label in 2015, which explores his dual-ethnic heritage, being of Jamaican and Scottish descent.

Thierry Andretta, chief executive of Mulberry, said in a statement: “I’m delighted that Mulberry is collaborating with three such talented designers, each with their own innovative design ethos and unique creative voice. It has been a pleasure to work with each of them, and to share Mulberry’s passion for innovation, craft and sustainability.”