Power isn't usually a word associated with Mulberry. Since it was founded in 1971 by Roger Saul (working out of the old forge in his parents' garden in Somerset), it has been all about "Le Style Anglais," as Saul put it, "which was based on the English shooting, hunting, and fishing activities of the upper classes." Resolutely true to its roots, Mulberry still maintains a factory, the Rookery, in Somerset. But toff chic, of course, isn't just about tweedy practicality or the stiff upper lip: As Saul also noted, the English are well known for their sense of humor and appreciation of eccentricity. These things, along with a devotion to quality, stamp the brand as authentically British-and that is its unique selling point in the market, on which it is now a major player, being valued in 2011 at ￡1 billion.
1993 : "Mulberry whiffs of all sorts of things," Roger Saul tells The Times of London. "A certain integrity, a certain reserve, definitely a humorous eccentricity." 1996 : Mulberry goes public on its 25th anniversary. "You are always selling values and good classic style," its founder tells fashion critic Suzy Menkes. "And we have had tremendous success in the 1990s because people look to home, family, and green issues."