Mulberry Mackintosh video still
British apparel and accessories brand Mulberry teamed up with British raincoat company Mackintosh on a line of exclusive coats.
Mulberry chose to partner with Mackintosh for its craftsmanship and artisan production values, which it showcased with an article and video on its Web site detailing the brand’s history and factory process. By detailing the craftsmanship of the brand it handpicked for this project, Mulberry is able to simultaneously point out its own quality and heritage.
“The video demonstrates the craftsmanship, quality and attention to detail that is part of each Mackintosh coat,” said Amanda Rue, strategist at Carrot Creative, New York.
“The collaboration with an established and iconic coat maker along with the video demonstrating the product origin provide the user with a deeper and transparent product story,” she said.
“The video clearly demonstrates the craftsmanship of the coat, but lacks an emotional, human element that could more deeply engage viewers.”
Ms. Rue is not affiliated with Mulberry, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Mulberry did not respond by press deadline.
Historic production
Mulberry’s article explains that the formula for the Mackintosh cloth was created in the 1800s by chemist Robert Mackintosh. The rubberized material used for the coats has been produced with the same process since 1823, which the craftsmen go through a three-year apprenticeship to learn.
The video shows all steps of production, from the cutting of fabric to the chemical treatment to make the material waterproof.
The video begins with an image of the front placket of a Mulberry Mackintosh. The jacket opens to reveal the factory where the coats are made.
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A man selects a set of pattern pieces from a rack and brings them over to a table, which has a large piece of khaki material sitting on it. He proceeds to use the pattern to trace an outline onto the fabric with chalk.
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The worker then begins to cut the fabric, and the camera zooms in on the lab coat he is wearing to show the Mackintosh logo.
To transition, the video shows two pieces of the raincoat fabric being pulled apart across the screen. A different worker bundles up the pieces that the original man cut and ties it with a bow.
The bundle then takes up the entire screen, moving to one side to reveal a new craftsman, who is assembling a coat, adhering strips of reinforcement onto the coat and attaching pieces of fabric.
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As the jackets are finished on a sewing machine, they are laid in a pile. The camera zooms in on the label, which reads Mackintosh for Mulberry.
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Finally, a woman attaches the Mulberry buttons, which the viewer can see bear the label’s mulberry tree logo.
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The two types of Mulberry coats sit on dress forms in the workshop. The same jacket image from the beginning of the video closes over the scene.
The video shows the coats passing from one set of hands to another, highlighting the fact that the coats are handmade. To drive home the British heritage of the brand, the video is accompanied by bagpipes.
Mulberry – A Collaboration with Mackintosh
Below the video, the article details how the Mulberry raincoat differs from the traditional Mackintosh coats because of the addition of the label’s iconic floral buttons and a special lining. In addition to the Mulberry coat available on the brand’s ecommerce site, Mulberry designed a polka dot version that will be exclusive to online retailer Net-A-Porter.
Mulberry featured the journal article on the homepage of its Web site. The brand also posted the article to its Facebook page, with a black-and-white photo of the Mulberry Mackintosh sitting in the factory, pointing to the history behind the company.
Facebook post from Mulberry
Crafting a story
Luxury consumers want to know about the quality of the apparel and accessories they are purchasing, and videos detailing the making of an item can work to prove the craftsmanship of a piece, and drive interest in the product.
For instance, Swiss watchmaker Raymond Weil showed watch enthusiasts and unfamiliar consumers that its watches are true contenders of heritage brands due to its craftsmanship and central values.
Raymond Weil’s short craftsmanship video is meant to build brand awareness for the relatively young brand as it continues to compete against the large brands that boast a long history of fine horology. Touting craftsmanship and precision is valuable for watch brands aiming to stand the test of time in a tight market (see story).
Mulberry has been tweaking its digital presence over the past year.
British label Mulberry bolstered its ecommerce efforts through a new simplified Web site that was announced Aug. 28.
The brand’s updated site offers a simple design with multiple touch points for consumers to click to shop certain products and collections from the homepage. Mulberry will likely boost ecommerce by making the shopping function more easily accessible (see story).
While Mackintosh brings craftsmanship to the table, Net-A-Porter offers Mulberry the opportunity to expand its brand awareness.
“Collaborations often allow brands to produce new products and potentially reach new audiences,” Ms. Rue said. “This gives more credibility to Mulberry as they expand product offerings.
“Additionally, the exclusive partnership with Net-A-Porter allows Mulberry to reach a much wider audience than they might alone,” she said. “By Facebook fan numbers alone, Net-A-Porter boasts 1.1 million fans to Mulberry’s 247,000.
“This aims to use this collaboration to build stronger awareness of the Mulberry brand among luxury consumers.”
Final Take
Sarah Jones, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York