Global designer brand Mulberry has appointed fashion industry veteran Thierry Andretta as chief executive almost a year after it parted company with the role’s previous occupant.
Bruno Guillon left the Somerset-based firm – best known for its upmarket bags – last March after an attempt to take it further into the high-end luxury goods market backfired. It has since reverted to producing many of its iconic bags with price tags of less than £1,000. 
Mr Andretta, who has held senior positions at Gucci, Moschino, Céline and Loius Vuitton group LVMH, officially takes over at Mulberry on April 7. He joins from Buccellati, the Italian high luxury jewellery brand, where he was chief executive. He has been a non-executive director of Mulberry since June last year.
In his new role Mr Andretta will work closely with Mulberry’s new creative director, Johnny Coca, who joins the company in July from Céline.
Mulberry has suffered a torrid time over the past few years as it sought to move further upmarket. It was forced to issue a string of profit warnings and in December reported a half-year loss of £1.1m.
Since Mr Guillon’s departure the firm, which employs hundreds of people at its factories in Chilcompton and Bridgwater, has been run by chairman Godfrey Davis as interim CEO.
He said: “I am delighted that Thierry has agreed to become chief executive. He has a wealth of fashion and luxury goods experience and an ability to drive our ambitious plans for international growth. In parallel with recruiting our new Johnny Coca, we undertook an extensive search and concluded that Thierry was the outstanding CEO candidate.”
Mr Andretta added: “Mulberry is a truly authentic British brand with a unique manufacturing base in the UK. The brand has great international potential and I look forward to building the business with Godfrey, Johnny, the rest of the team and the board.”
