Mulberry last week launched the Mulberry x Ahluwalia, in collaboration with designer Priya Ahluwalia, reimagining the Portobello Tote and an assortment of scarves in her signature vibrant aesthetic. The partnership is the latest Mulberry Editions collection to launch during Mulberry’s 50th anniversary year, spotlighting the best in contemporary design, dropping on 14th June 2021.
The collection is influenced by Ahluwalia’s fascination with hair as a means of identity, protest and expression, drawing on the designer’s mixed Nigerian-Indian heritage, both cultures in which hair holds such importance. It celebrates the artistry, rituals and symbolism of Afro-Caribbean hair and Priya’s own personal narrative, which is brought to life through the capsule’s unique design, bold colour and striking motifs.
The bespoke ‘wave’ prints created for the collection are inspired by the techniques of braided Black hair and are showcased in braid-inspired seam lines and patchwork details. 60s and 70s protest symbols of pride, such as the Afro comb and braided hair silhouettes, are also purposed into custom-made embroidered badges that decorate an assortment of the bag styles.
The limited-edition capsule heroes the Portobello Tote, originally launched by Mulberry in 2019 as its first 100% sustainable leather bag. The Mulberry x Ahluwalia capsule is crafted in Mulberry’s carbon neutral Somerset Factories, using only repurposed fabrics and leathers that have been reworked for the capsule, meaning the bags are created in limited quantities. The collection consists of four oversized Portobello Totes, five Portobello Totes and three Mini Portobello Totes, a new size created especially for the collaboration. The bags are complemented by four 100% organic silk scarf designs, specially created in a 70×70 dimension so they can be worn as a bandana or headscarf.
