Q&a / MCM’s makeover, according its president: the brand for people who ‘don’t wear Chanel or Hermès head to toe’ showed at Milan Fashion Week – and featured Cara Delevingne and Cindy Crawford in its campaigns

Mar 11 , 2024

Model Cara Delevingne stars in MCM’s spring/summer 2024 campaign. The luxury accessories label recently underwent a major overhaul. Photos: MCM

Known for its bestselling backpacks, MCM had undergone a massive makeover to appeal to younger audiences with Sabine Brunner at the helm, who previously worked at Tod’s and Roger Vivier

The Korean-owned German label has a unique global outlook and a strong following in Asia – it’s also launching accessories made of a new plant-based and plastic-free material, Mirium

When Sabine Brunner was named president of accessories brand MCM in 2023, she had her work cut out for her. The Korean-owned brand, known for its bestselling backpacks, was in need of a major overhaul.

Sabine Brunner joined MCM as the label’s president in 2023

Brunner, who formerly held senior positions at luxury brands such as Tod’s and Roger Vivier, and was also the CEO of childrenswear label Bonpoint, didn’t waste time to build a new team and inject a much-needed dose of energy into the label.

She hired a duo, Milan-based Tina Lutz and Seoul-based Katie Chung, and put them in charge of design. Then she started working with celebrated art director Fabien Baron to come up with buzzy campaigns shot by legendary photographers such as Juergen Teller and Craig McDean, starring A-list celebrities like Cindy Crawford and Cara Delevingne.

Supermodel Cindy Crawford in the MCM autumn/winter 2023 campaign, photographed by Juergen Teller

She’s also leading expansion into categories such as eyewear and fragrances, and launching accessories made of Mirium, a new plant-based and plastic-free material.

An MCM backpack made of Mirium, a new plant-based and plastic-free material

Style caught up with Brunner at MCM’s presentation in Milan during the autumn/winter 2024 fashion shows in the Italian city.

What was your perception of MCM before the company, and what was the first thing you did after you came on board?

I knew the brand because of my years in Hong Kong. The brand is very popular in Asia and I thought, what can I do with this brand? I went to look at the history and heritage, and I realised that I didn’t know anything about all that. The first thing we did at our first presentation in Milan was to have an exhibition to show all the heritage behind the bags. We wanted to show all those elements so that people knew that MCM is a true brand. People today are looking for something that is true and has quality.