British heritage brands Mulberry and Paul Smith join forces on handbag collection

Mulberry and Paul Smith, two brands synonymous with British heritage and style, have partnered up on a collaborative collection of reimagined ‘Antony’ handbags.

The 10-piece collection unites Mulberry’s Antony bag with Paul Smith’s colourful stripes and well-known aesthetic. The partnership champions the brands' shared appreciation of heritage style and leather-making history.

Previewed at Paul Smith’s AW23 men’s show in Paris earlier this year, the capsule brings the ‘Antony’ to new audiences. Not only has the new rendition been imagined in Mulberry's classic three sizes, but the brand also introduced two brand-new silhouettes inspired by the original: the Antony Clip and the Antony Tote.

Two decades after Mulberry first introduced the handbag as a men’s everyday bag, with its signature Postman’s Lock hardware and elegantly practical silhouette, the Antony has become one of Mulberry’s most iconic styles. Over the years, the piece has gained popularity amongst both men and women, making it the natural choice for the unisex collection.

The Mulberry x Paul Smith collection tells two distinct stories. The first design is a classic black heavy-grain leather, which features striped webbing straps and a pop of colour in the lining. The second is a smooth calf’s leather with a bold colour-blocking theme, which features Paul Smith’s recently introduced Shadow Stripe motif.

Sir Paul Smith commented: "Paul Smith and Mulberry were founded within a year of each other in the 1970s, so you could say our brands grew up and came of age together. I think that’s at least partly why we share such a similar approach to creativity and craft – that and our Britishness.

"Working together to ensure the collection was created in the UK was something we knew we wanted to do from the beginning, and the results speak for themselves."

Each piece is reflective of both brands' commitment to sustainability, exemplified by Mulberry’s Made to Last ethos and Paul Smith’s ‘Path to Sustainability’ manifesto. With the planet in mind,  each Antony handbag has been crafted from carbon-neutral leather and was produced in the UK at Mulberry’s carbon-neutral Somerset factories.

Thierry Andretta, Mulberry CEO, added: "We’re delighted to be collaborating with Paul Smith on a collection that celebrates our shared values of creativity, craft and British heritage. Reflecting our Made to Last ethos and longstanding commitment to manufacturing in the UK, we are proud that every piece in the collection will be made at one of our two carbon-neutral Somerset factories."

The limited-edition Mulberry x Paul Smith collection launches 4 September 2023 with prices starting from £450 for Mini Antony to £1,295 for Antony Tote.