This morning, Mulberry announced that designer Christopher Kane has joined the label as creative director of women's ready-to-wear. His first collection for the 55-year-old British brand will be shown during London Fashion Week this September and available to buy in stores beginning in January 2027. The news marks a major shift in both Christopher Kane's trajectory and Mulberry's business strategy—Kane shuttered his eponymous label in 2023, while Mulberry has, over the last few years, been without a creative director since 2020. Previously, Mulberry's ship had been steered by Stuart Vevers, then Emma Hill, and, most recently Johnny Coca.
Kane briefly returned to fashion in 2024 via a collaboration with the label Self-Portrait. But his presence in both the London fashion scene and the industry at large has been missed ever since he stepped away from his brand, which he established in 2006 with a debut collection (marking his graduation from Central Saint Martins) that featured neon bodycon dresses made with lace, ruffles, and bandage-style silhouettes, all inspired by Melanie Griffith's character Tess McGill inWorking Girl.
Kane went on to consult for Versace after his first collection got rave reviews and, in 2007, collaborated with Topshop, a partnership that would remain ongoing for three seasons and include his signature bodycon shapes as well as playful pieces featuring geometric prints and abstract patterns. Kane's earliest fans included the likes of Alexa Chung and Rihanna—fashion risk-takers who likely appreciated the designer's knack for infusing a generous dose of weird and wacky into classic silhouettes. Think lace slips in highlighter hues, a pleated skirt with a kaleidoscopic paint pattern, a long-sleeve mini dress with a growling gorilla printed on the front.
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With his singular vision, Kane will undoubtedly be able to unlock something cheeky and a little more riotous at the British heritage label he's about to helm. "Welcoming Christopher marks an important moment for Mulberry as we open a new chapter for ready-to-wear," noted Mulberry's CEO, Andrea Baldo, in a statement. "Christopher brings a rare combination of creativity, intellectual rigor and instinctive playfulness, alongside a deep respect for craft and materials." She added, "Together we look forward to evolving Mulberry's creative language beyond accessories and shaping a compelling future for ready-to-wear on a global stage."
Kane echoed Baldo's excitement for Mulberry's new start, saying in his own statement, "I look forward to working closely with Andrea and the team to create a new chapter of ready-to-wear that celebrates the spirit of Mulberry." Indeed, it is a truly exciting new chapter for both Mulberry and Kane, and of course for British fashion too. Fans of the designer are no doubt cheering over in London right now, celebrating a beloved local designer who once lit a spark across the industry with fashion that felt (and still feels) joyful and radical. Kane will undoubtedly work some of that magic back into Mulberry, injecting a fresh spirit into a heritage brand and reminding us, even in the midst of so much newness in luxury fashion right now, why he's still one of the greats.
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