Mulberry
Mulberry Group plc (Challice majority, Frasers Group minority) · United Kingdom
Mulberry is a British luxury leather goods brand founded in Somerset in 1971 by Roger Saul and his mother Joan. Its listed parent Mulberry Group plc is majority owned by Challice, with Frasers Group holding around 37 percent, and the brand is known for handbags made partly in its own Somerset factories.
| Founded | 1971, Somerset |
|---|---|
| Founders | Roger Saul and Joan Saul |
| Owner | Mulberry Group plc; Challice about 56%, Frasers Group about 37% |
| Headquarters | Somerset, United Kingdom |
| Manufacturing | The Rookery and The Willows, Somerset |
| Ready-to-wear creative director | Christopher Kane, since 2026 |
| Website | mulberry.com |
What is Mulberry?
Mulberry is a British brand best known for leather handbags, alongside small leather goods, shoes and ready-to-wear for women and men. It is one of the few British luxury brands with its own manufacturing base in the United Kingdom.
History
Roger Saul founded Mulberry in Somerset in 1971 with his mother Joan. The first factory, The Rookery in Chilcompton, opened in 1973, and a second Somerset factory, The Willows, began production in 2013. The brand grew in the 2000s through handbags such as the Bayswater and the Alexa. In 2026 Christopher Kane was appointed creative director of Mulberry's ready-to-wear collection.
Mulberry Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange. Challice holds about 56 percent and Frasers Group about 37 percent. In October 2024 Frasers made two possible offers, which the board and Challice rejected; Frasers then said it would not make a firm offer, as FashionNetwork reported.
Products and positioning
- Handbags: the core category
- Small leather goods and accessories
- Ready-to-wear: women's and men's collections
- Footwear
Business model and distribution
Mulberry sells through directly operated stores in the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States and Asia, through department stores and wholesale partners, and through its own e-commerce. Part of its leather goods production remains in Somerset, while some products are manufactured abroad. As of 2013, men's bags were produced in Turkey and some small leather goods and luggage in China.
Why it matters
Mulberry is a closely watched case for British luxury, combining domestic manufacturing, a public listing with concentrated ownership and a long standing debate between its main shareholders about strategy and governance. For the wider industry, Mulberry demonstrates both the value of owning production capacity, which supports a credible made in Britain story, and the pressure that listed mid sized luxury brands face when demand for handbags slows and investors take opposing views on how to respond.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Mulberry?
Mulberry Group plc is listed in London. Challice holds a majority of about 56 percent and Frasers Group about 37 percent; Frasers explored a takeover in October 2024 but did not make a firm offer.
Is Mulberry made in England?
Part of Mulberry's leather goods production takes place in its own factories in Somerset, England, The Rookery and The Willows. Some products are made by suppliers abroad.