It’s almost exactly two years since it was announced that Emma Hill would be leaving Mulberry. Now the former creative director has finally announced her next move, an accessories line called Hill and Friends.
Working alongside former Mulberry brand director Georgia Fendley, Hill’s new line will initially offer up an accessories collection which will debut at London Fashion Week in September. The duo reportedly have plans to expand into ready-to-wear at a later date.
It seems that Hill is adopting a very modern approach to taking her new brand to consumers. Hill and Friends will go on sale the day after the LFW presentation on their own website as well as on Net-a-Porter, answering the see-it, need-it mentality which has permeated fashion of late. The label is also searching for stores in London and New York.
After two years away from the spotlight, we’re fascinated to see how Hill makes her comeback. She enjoyed a stellar run at Mulberry during which she introduced blockbuster It styles like the Alexa and put Mulberry firmly on the fashion map with elaborately fantastical shows with celebrity-jammed front rows and pooches on the catwalk. She spearheaded Mulberry to must-have status with cult designs, accessible price points and whimsical ad campaigns shot by Tim Walker.
The fashion landscape has completely transformed since 2013, with Instagram, Youtube and myriad other social media channels creating new stars and offering brands the chance to connect with customers all around the world, all the time.
Hill’s new move comes just as her old employers are finally filling her post. Johnny Coca, formerly at Celine, starts at Mulberry next month with a hard task ahead after recent dips in profits. Following a Cara Delevingne collaboration and hook-ups with Georgia May Jagger and Cressida Bonas, it’s finally time to see what Mulberry- and Emma Hill- do next.