GH: since you started working as creative director at Mulberry, what changes have you made within the company?
EH: I really respect the heritage of the brand which is very important to me, but I think that I've brought more colour and a girly attitude!
GH: You spent the past 13 years in New York, designing accessories for Calvin Klein, Gap and Marc Jacobs, before you started at Mulberry. What was the most important lesson you learnt during your time working as a designer in New York?
EH: I was very lucky to learn from the best of the best. Learning from these amazing designers has made me more sure of myself. I learned to never really look to trends or what everyone else is doing. I really design from a gut instinct and trust my intuition.
GH: With bags like the Roxanne tote, the Mabel, the Emmy and the Maggie achieving cult status - what, in your opinion, makes a truly iconic bag?
EH: What makes our iconic bags is that they are so utterly Mulberry, and a bag that immediately feels like it is part of our history and heritage. It will not suffer from the "one-season-hit-wonder" syndrome, but, rather become an instant beloved friend.
GH: How have your bags evolved from when you first began designing them?
EH: Every season the bags and RTW evolve so much from what's been inspiring around me. This could be anything from my fashion obsessed son Hudson, friends, films or my fabulous design team.
GH: What's the inspiration behind your latest collection for Mulberry?
EH: I became obsessed by the movie "Valley of the Dolls" and by naughty English Royalty & by leopards. We incorporated these obsessions & inspirations throughout the whole collection!!
GH: In the current economic climate can women still justify spending £1,000 on a handbag? Will there always be a market for that kind of high end designer product or would you consider producing a less expensive diffusion line?
EH: Whatever the current economic climate, I think that bags are great investment pieces, and the feeling you get from wearing them is priceless!
GH: Mulberry's latest bags, such as The Alexa and The Bayswater, have become instant hits; what does it take for a bag to become an 'it' bag. Does celebrity .endorsement play a big part in this process?
EH: At Mulberry, it's not about creating the next 'it' bag but, its all about the design and quality. We always focus on got to have it designs whether it's for Alexa Chung or anybody else!
GH: Gaudy 'It' bags were so much a part of noughties fashion - what will replace them?
EH: I think that people are so over the 'it-bag' and don't really want another fad to replace it. What endures time after time, are things that you love, regardless of whether they fit the trend of the moment.
GH: Having a son and one of the most desirable jobs in the fashion world - how do you manage to juggle the demands of work with those of your family?
EH: Luckily for me, I live very close to my studio so running between my home or work, isn't too demanding. I am very blessed as every day is different and so creative which I love!
GH: What plans to you have for your next collection and the development of the brand in the future?
EH: All I can say is "watch this space"!!
0 comments:
Post a Comment