LONDON — Mulberry is returning to its roots and is taking British model Erin O’Connor and artist Kesewa Aboah along with them.
The brand’s new campaign was shot at The Rookery manufacturing hub in Somerset, which is one of two carbon-neutral factories belonging to Mulberry.
The campaign is an inside look of how the British brand makes its accessories, shot by photographer Felix Cooper, who has worked with Fendi and Graff.
“This campaign signals our first step back to the Mulberry spirit, so we felt it was important and timely to pay homage to where we’re from and where the magic happens. The Rookery is not just our home, it’s a beautiful backdrop for our campaign and a change of pace from what we’ve done before,” said Henrietta Gallina, the brand’s director of creative studio.
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“Mulberry is moving in its own direction, which sounds simple and in many ways obvious, but it’s about returning to our true essence, reconnecting with the values that have always defined us while remaining meaningful in today’s world,” she added.
As reported, Mulberry has been hit by a progressive slowdown in fashion and luxury spending over the past 18 months similar to its peers. It has also been impacted by the cancellation of tax-free shopping in the U.K., its home market, and a growing — and increasingly polished — handbag offer from high street and contemporary competitors.
In response to those headwinds, chief executive officer Andrea Baldo and the board have come up with a rejuvenation strategy called “Back to the Mulberry Spirit,” which aims to restore it to profitability “through simplification, brand realignment and enhanced customer connection.”
Baldo wants to restore Mulberry to the “culturally relevant British lifestyle brand” it once was, especially throughout the 2000s when Luella Bartley was creating “It” styles for the brand, and Stuart Vevers, and later Emma Hill, were at the creative helm.
Gallina said so much has transpired over the last few years “and we’ve had to engage in some profound introspection as we shape the future of Mulberry. What started out as necessary exercise, turned into a deep interrogation and excavation to recover our spirit.
“’Back to the Mulberry Spirit’ represents an unapologetic return to ourself, to realign with the values that have defined us and make us relevant for today. We’re excited to return to our unique sweet-spot of playful ideas, craft, celebrating the best of modern British culture and, most importantly, making products that you fall in love with — and wear to death.”
