Mulberry's references are usually deep rooted in British culture and autumn/winter 2011 was no exception with creative director Emma Hill citing Fantastic Mr Fox and jockeys as her inspirations. The house is also known for its love of dogs, and this season saw models accompanied on the catwalk by German Schnauzers.
The show opened with a line from Roald Dahl's 1970 children's classic, in which Mr Fox outwits his farmer neighbours to steal their food from right under their noses. Hill revealed the book was one of her childhood favourites and had recently watched Wes Anderson's 2009 stop-motion animated film with her son. Dahl's story influenced the colour (with names such as Fox Brown, Hedgehog Bronze and Foxglove Pink) and the prints (including Happy Hedgerow and Feathered Friends). Traditional English pursuits such as hunting, shooting and fishing also provided a wealth of inspiration. Girls wore structured shooting and fisherman jackets, knee-high socks (borrowing from the iconic jockey look) and the new heritage Bayswater Satchel with Poacher-style straps. The after-show party at Claridges even had waiters dressed as smart, red-jacketed jockeys. Select models were accompanied by Schnauzers, originally bred in Germany for hunting vermin and as guard dogs. The dogs provided added entertainment for the audience and opportunity to show off the house's latest collection of canine attire, a Tillie Quilted Dog Mac and the Fisherman Dog Coat.
The next Fashion Equation will be published in two weeks.
Research assistance by Yana Sheptovetskaya
Laura Bradley is the Commissioning Editor of AnOther and published her first series of Fashion Equations in May 2008. Tom Baxter is an illustrator currently living and working in London.
