The Mulberry Renaissance?

While we all enjoyed  Cara´s enchanted forest themed Mulberry handbag presentation at February's London Fashion Week, we were all left wondering: what about the rest of it? Who would replace creative director Emma Hill, who had been in the role for six years before leaving in September 2013? What about the ready-to-wear collection? Essentially: what's going on?

While there was still no light to be shed on the creative director gig at this morning's unveiling of the pre-spring/summer 2015 collection, over at Mulberry HQ (other than that there will be no catwalk show at LFW until they have one), there were a few shards cast on the overall direction of the brand - something which had been seen to be floundering over the last two years with Bruno Guillon as CEO. The former managing director of Hermes exited Mulberry in March this year,before which he had streamlined the label's quintessential fun factor, prices were raised and fashion week parties were no more.

But fun and charm look set to be back on the agenda for the interim. "Mulberry's girl is in a carefree upbeat mood, wafting her way through an English country garden," reads a quote issued by the brand, reiterating that she is "as carefree as can be".

Mulberry

Inspired by Kew Gardens, the whole design team upped sticks from the office and spent the day sketching and photographing, taking their influences from the structural engineering of the Victorian glasshouse, the foliage and botanicals. "In the absence of a creative director, we wanted to keep it really British," explained head of womenswear Francis Stringer this morning, as she talked us through the range. It features pretty shirtdresses, subtle Seventies references, shades of camomile yellow and woven latticework to contrast with floral jacquards for jackets and dresses.

But it's fair to say that the accessories do most of the talking here - not least because they come in punchy pink and orange, blue and green shades that can't help but catch and then hold hostage the eye. Among the line-up is a the new Blossom tote, punctuated with the Mulberry motif at its centre; the brand new Darcie, a little box style inspired by camera bags; the Alice and Dorothy bag families, which riff on the satchel; as well as an update on the Cara bag.