Louis Vuitton has announced the appointment of Johnny Coca as the women’s fashion leather goods director, meaning that the former creative director of Mulberry will be working alongside Nicolas Ghesquière on the house’s accessories.
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It is a significant move for Louis Vuitton to hire another big name to work alongside the current creative director. Coca most recently headed up the design direction at Mulberry, stepping down in May after five years at the helm of the British brand, which is famed for its handbags. Before this, Coca worked with Phoebe Philo at Céline and under Marc Jacobs when he headed up Louis Vuitton. Moving back to the French fashion house is “coming full circle” for his career, Coca said in a press release.
“It is with great pride that I join Nicolas Ghesquière and the Louis Vuitton teams to further develop the women’s handbag collections. For me, the journey now has come full circle, to the place where I was lucky enough to hone my passion first-hand and learn the fundamentals of leather craftsmanship in the ateliers at Asnières. It opens a new chapter in my own creative adventure, in an extraordinary laboratory that blends heritage and modernity,” said Johnny.
Coca’s appointment will begin on 2nd June, where he will offer up his expertise and creativity to the leather goods section of the business, working closely with Ghesquière, who has been creative director of the brand since November 2013.
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“I am happy to welcome Johnny at the Maison Louis Vuitton and very pleased that he is joining me on this journey that started a few years ago. The team and I look forward to working with him in the inspiring world of Louis Vuitton,” Ghesquière said.
(Source: Harpers Bazaar)