British designer Christopher Kane to take over as creative director at Mulberry

British fashion designer Christopher Kane has been appointed as the new creative director of Mulberry.

The Glaswegian-born designer will relaunch the English brand’s ready-to-wear women’s collection, and his debut will be announced in September at London Fashion Week, before hitting stores and online from January 2027.

The reaction within the British fashion industry has been ecstatic. According to Vogue, “shouts of joy at the news that Christopher Kane is the new creative director of Mulberry could be heard across London this morning”.

It will be Mulberry’s first catwalk show since January 2017 and a return to Kane’s schedule, who counts Michelle Obama, Rihanna, Alexa Chung, Kendrick Lamar and FKA branches among his fans. Mulberry would be the biggest brand at London Fashion Week after Burberry, providing a boost of excitement for the event, which has recently lacked much popularity.

Seen as an emerging talent, the designs Kane produced under his own label, which he founded alongside his sister, Tammy, in 2006 after graduating from Central Saint Martins, were widely admired. Her sense of fun and hedonism, eye for the perfect party dress and smart identity have made her even more popular on red carpets.

In 2013, luxury company Kering acquired a 51% stake in the business. Then in 2018, Kane bought his own label again, before he was forced to close it during the pandemic of 2020. The Covid closure of some British productions, such as Susie Cave’s The Vampire’s Wife and Cefinn, is another proof of the problems facing independent creators in Britain.

Kane is best known for his slogan “More Joy”, which appeared for the first time in his autumn / winter 2018 show and is borrowed from the 1972 erotic novel The Joy of Sex. A dress from the collection that bears the word “Rubberist”, with an image of a rubber glove on it, was worn by Lena Dunham at the 2019 Met Gala.

The Scottish designer draws inspiration from many different sources, including Frankenstein, The Planet of the Apes, nature and the world of kink and fetish. His spring/summer 2011 collection cited “Princess Margaret on acid” as a guiding principle.

Her CV includes a stint working with Donatella Versace – whose 2006 label collection clearly impressed her, and designing collections for Topshop. She has won the Vogue fashion award and four British fashion awards, including womenswear designer of the year. He has not been absent at all since he closed his letter: in 2024 he collaborated with Self-Portrait in the residential collection.

Founded as a leather goods company in Somerset in 1971, Mulberry is famous for its handbags, especially Alexa, a body bag designed for Alexa Chung that debuted in 2010 during her 00s. Bayswater is another 00s classic, starring Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and Jennifer Lopez.

Former creative directors include Emma Hill, Stuart Vevers, the British designer now in his 13th year at the quintessentially American brand, and Johnny Coca, who was the last to run the brand, leaving in 2020 after five years.

Mulberry has struggled in recent years – it has laid off up to 85 staff worldwide by 2024 and has seen a takeover bid from billionaire Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group – and will be hoping Kane can help revive its fortunes.

Andrea Baldo, Mulberry’s chief executive, said: “Christopher brings a rare combination of creativity, intellectual rigor and natural playfulness, as well as a deep respect for craftsmanship and materials.