Inside the Brand: Aspinal of London: Trying Too Hard to be the King of Bags

About Aspinal of LondonRoger Saul of Mulberry and Anya Hindmarch of Anya Hindmarch founded their respective labels after leaving school. Iain Burton, who founded of Aspinal of London in 2004 when he was 52 years old, was a different animal. Burton had operated successful businesses before launching into luxury fashion. He was considered a wealthy man.Burton has to be admired for risking his fortune when establishing the brand, and also for his sheer determination to make it work.Unfortunately, even with millions invested in Aspinal of London by Burton and several others, plus the support of a strong celebrity following including members of the British Royal Family, it has not been a smooth ride for the brand from the outset. Events in late 2020 turned out to be a nightmare for Burton but all this had been a long time coming. Aspinal of London had experienced many challenges way before the days of COVID-19. The Inside the Brand series 70+ books on luxury brandsControversial by design, these revelatory books divulge many fundamental aspects of a brand that were previously undisclosed. The views expressed are those of the authors and the editor and do not represent any member of The Fashion and Design Club.The Inside the Brand series is comprised of over 70 books on luxury fashion and design brands including: Alexander McQueen, Balmain, Bulgari, Burberry, Cartier, Chanel, Coach, Christian Louboutin, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Ermenegildo Zegna, Fendi, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Goyard Gucci, Heatherwick Studio, JW Anderson. Hermes, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton, Maria Grachvogel, Prada, Tiffany & Co., Tom Ford, Versace, Victoria Beckham, Vivienne Westwood, and many others.The Inside the Brand series are thoroughly researched covering key aspects of each brand including its history, finances, employees, marketing strategies, and much more. The books assume that the reader has a basic understanding of the designs offered by a brand and hence focus on how it has evolved, and its business operations.Many of the books in this series contain previously unpublished content obtained by interviewing key people from the brands, including individuals working in production, development, pattern cutting, sales, and marketing, as well as interns. Creative directors, brand founders, CEOs, CFOs, investors and Chairpersons have also been interviewed. The Inside the Brand series was commissioned by The Fashion and Design Club for the benefit and education of fashion and design students. The books are independently funded to ensure impartiality. No brand has commissioned, authorised or financially supported these books in any way. Due to the contentious nature of the content, many brands have attempted to prevent publication through legal action or by resorting to threats.About The Fashion and Design ClubSince 2011, The Fashion and Design Club has been a platform for experienced luxury fashion or design executives to meet and discuss a variety of business issues while adhering to Chatham House Rules. The Club’s website launched recently just for these publications is www.thefashionanddesignclub.com.Iayn G Clark has been the Secretary of The Fashion and Design Club since its creation. Iayn’s career milestones include management consultancy for luxury fashion entities.