Johnny Coca takes charge of accessories at Saint Laurent

The designer has confirmed his appointment as creative director of leather goods and accessories at the iconic Kering group brand. He brings with him extensive experience in this field, having already made his mark at Bally, Celine, Mulberry, and Louis Vuitton.

Will Johnny Coca be to accessories at Saint Laurent what Anthony Vaccarello has been to its silhouettes for the past decade?

The former has just confirmed on his LinkedIn account that he is joining the artistic direction of men’s and women’s leather goods, as well as all accessory and lifestyle collections, at the fashion house headed by Cédric Charbit.

Rumor confirmed

Since his departure at the end of 2025 from Louis Vuitton, the flagship house of LVMH, where Johnny Coca had been in charge of women’s accessories and leather goods design since 2020, there had been rumors of his appointment at Saint Laurent.

For the iconic fashion house, which, it should be noted, belongs to the Kering group, challenger to the number one luxury brand, the “acquisition” is good news.

Johnny Coca stands out for his profile as a designer specializing in accessories with a particularly brilliant career.

With an extraordinary educational background (training in Paris in art, architecture, and design at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Malaquais, and the École Boulle), this Spanish designer, born in Seville, is multilingual, fluent in his native language, French, English, and Italian, and has since built up an impressive resume, working for some of the biggest names in fashion.

Having worked for the biggest names in fashion

After starting out at Louis Vuitton as a leather goods designer from 1996 to 2004, he moved to Bally in 2010, where he was responsible for designing bags and accessories. Over the next five years, he further expanded his scope as creative director, this time at Celine (already part of the Kering group), taking charge of shoes and jewelry in addition to leather goods and accessories. Working alongside Phoebe Philo, he brought his signature style to classic designs such as the Trapeze and Trio, with collections featuring minimalist, chic shapes and “quiet luxury” elegance, crafted from the finest leathers.

In the next five-year cycle, as creative director of the very British Mulberry, he launched it bags such as the structured Iris tote bag with woven details, the Amberley, a clasp bag playing on modernized British heritage, and the Seaton with its clean, chic lines.

At Louis Vuitton, he served another five-year term, which he devoted to modernizing the women’s bag lines with more contemporary volumes and sophisticated details for everyday elegance.

A new five-year term?

Has he left for Saint Laurent for a new five-year term? While nothing can be confirmed, many agree that his signature as a luxury bag specialist, capable of breathing new life into a fashion house while respecting its DNA, will be welcome at Saint Laurent.

By creating a full-time position dedicated to accessories, he will give new impetus to a category that was previously under the leadership of Anthony Vaccarello, alongside fashion.

Industry observers predict the arrival of Saint Laurent bags that are more iconic, durable, and practical, while remaining faithful to the rock ‘n’ roll and sexy identity promoted by Anthony Vaccarello.

Beneficial new products

In 2025, Saint Laurent’s revenue fell by 6% on a comparable basis to €2.6 billion. However, its sales were stable in the last quarter. This performance was “supported by the introduction of new products in all categories, particularly shoes and women’s ready-to-wear.”

The House also managed to stabilize its current operating margin at 20% last year, thanks to “cost optimization measures” while continuing to invest in its boutique network, clienteling, and collections.

Its efforts in terms of product offerings will now also be supported by the arrival of Johnny Coca…