Emma Hill Announces Own Label

Emma Hill, Mulberry's former - and much celebrated - creative director, is to launch her own accessories line later this year, called Hill & Friends. A collaboration with Georgia Fendley - also hailing from Mulberry, where she was brand director - the label will launch at a presentation in London Fashion Week in September, reports WWD, with product being available to purchase the following day from its own website and Net-A-Porter.

The announcement marks the first major fashion project for Hill since her abrupt departure from Mulberry, which was two years ago this month. It ironically also comes as her former employer readies to welcome its new creative director Johnny Coca next month - the first person to hold Hill's former post, which lay vacant for 18 months after she left.

Hill & Friends, which is majority-owned by Hill and Fendley, reportedly plans to add ready-to-wear to its offering later down the line, but is currently focused solely on accessories while looking to secure two retail outlets on home turf in London and Stateside in New York.