Seasoned accessories designer Johnny Coca exits Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton has confirmed the departure of Johnny Coca, one of luxury fashion’s most influential accessories designers, after five-and-a-half years leading women’s fashion, leather goods and accessories.
The Seville-born designer, who rejoined the French house in 2020, is widely regarded as one of the industry’s standout handbag specialists, with a career spanning Celine, Mulberry, Bally and earlier chapters at Vuitton.
Coca was part of a leather goods team led by Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director of women’s collections since 2013, with a particular focus early on in his tenure on high-end handbags and showpieces. His departure marks the end of a role that brought him full circle: he began his career as a leather goods designer at Vuitton in 1996, remaining there until 2000.
The designer had previously risen to prominence under Phoebe Philo at Celine, where his work helped cement the brand as a major force in luxury leather goods. He later spent five years as Creative Director of Mulberry, where he reshaped the British label’s positioning and introduced beloved silhouettes, including the Amberley and Iris.
Louis Vuitton told WWD that the brand and Coca had "decided to part ways," noting that he "brought his expertise and creativity to the collections and successfully launched the Louis Vuitton Accessories Design Graduates Initiative."
The designer expressed his gratitude to the house and the LVMH Group for the opportunity, praising the teams he collaborated with and reflecting on the "strong creative vision" they carried forward together. "Now it is time for me to continue on my own path with the same passion and commitment," he said, calling his time there a "chapter of my career" he will hold in high regard.
His next move has not yet been disclosed, though his track record in shaping influential accessories positions him as a designer many brands will be watching closely. Louis Vuitton continues under the creative leadership of Nicolas Ghesquière.
