1980s summer vacation, repacked: Malibu x Anya Hindmarch clock off in style
Malibu has built its identity on summer, escapism and the invitation to clock off. It’s a brand that turns every day into a small vacation. So when British fashion icon Anya Hindmarch approached Malibu with an idea built around the nostalgia of 1980s duty-free travel, the result was something neither brand could have made alone: a limited-edition raffia capsule collection that brings Malibu’s iconic vintage label into the world of luxury fashion.
We sat down with Gui Pasculli, Head of Partnerships for Malibu, Absolut, and Kahlua, and Tatiana Künsch, Senior Brand Manager for On-Premise and Collaborations for Malibu, Absolut, and Kahlua, to hear the story behind Malibu’s latest creative collaboration.
Malibu already has form in fashion thanks to Aries. What does Anya bring that’s different and how did it come about?
Gui: Anya actually came to us, which says a lot. She recognised the iconicity of Malibu’s white bottle, the connection to summer and holidays, and she was already building her Off Duty concept around the nostalgia of 1980s duty-free travel.
After Aries gave us a way into streetwear and a more disruptive creative space, this felt like the natural next step – a door we hadn’t walked through before, a chance to step beyond the spirits category and into luxury lifestyle – while also staying true to our ambition to make every day feel like a vacation.
The beauty of collaborations like this is that they give us the chance to talk to people we’re not already talking to in a way that feels legitimate. Each one opens a door to a new audience, a new conversation.
Anya is reinterpreting Malibu’s most iconic assets – the vintage label, the bottle, the heritage. How important is trust in that process?
Tatiana: Handing over something as iconic as the vintage label – alongside our white bottle, which is instantly recognisable on its own – requires a great deal of trust. But it’s the kind of trust that comes from knowing who you are as a brand.
Anya understood Malibu intuitively from the very first samples. She approved everything in this campaign, from artwork to assets, with full ownership across every touchpoint. When you see that, you know the brand is in good hands.
You see Anya’s lace, the detail, her bags being carried at royal weddings. And then you see the Malibu bottle on that same lace. That dissonance is actually quite cool.
Tatiana Künsch
Anya loves a hidden detail. What should people look for in this one?
Tatiana: The collection is three pieces – a raffia tote, a zipped wallet and a bottle charm, and each one carries Malibu’s original vintage label. The charm is my favourite. The leather quality, the craft – it’s impeccable. You see the bottle and you immediately recognise it as Malibu. But then you turn it over and there’s this small gold bow on the back. It’s a subtle, playful detail that’s very Anya.
Inside the bags there’s also a leather tag for the collaboration that is just beautiful. It’s the kind of thing you only discover once you’re holding it. Everything is considered; everything is finished. Nothing is accidental.
How did you activate this collaboration to land with a fashion-forward audience?
Tatiana: Our vision when we walk into a new collaboration is always to reach people we’re not already reaching and in a way that feels authentic. The Malibu x Anya Hindmarch collection is an opportunity to connect with a more fashion-forward, more affluent audience. And there’s something quite cool about seeing Malibu’s bottle reimagined through Anya’s lens – the lace, the craft, the detail.
She takes iconic, mainstream brands and elevates them in a way that makes you see them differently. That’s exactly what this collection does. None of that works without a clear point of view on why it makes sense.
What does success look like in a collaboration like this?
Tatiana: Cultural impact is everything. The real markers are how widely it was picked up by relevant, credible media and the genuine desire it created around the pieces. We co-developed the PR campaign with Anya’s team.
This combined our reach into spirits and culture with their deep connections in fashion. We also partnered with Hypebeast to amplify the launch which says a lot about the cultural territory this collaboration opened up for us.
Gui: For us it was about getting seen by different people, not just media. How can we reach and engage beyond our traditional audiences? That’s always the conversation. And then there’s something less tangible but just as important – collaborations like this open doors to the next one. After Aries, a lot of people reached out to us. I expect the same will happen again here.
Oat milk, streetwear, now luxury fashion. Where next?
Gui: We don’t have a strict framework. What we’re looking for is something that sparks a conversation and gives people a reason to see Malibu for what we are: a brand that helps people enjoy good times anywhere. Right now, with AI and algorithms, everything is starting to look the same.
Brands are repeating themselves, using nostalgia without creating anything new. Collaborations should push creative boundaries, not just recycle them. That’s what keeps culture moving and that’s what keeps Malibu interesting.
With AI and algorithms, everything is starting to look the same. Collaborations should push creative boundaries, not just recycle them. That’s what keeps culture moving – and that’s what keeps Malibu interesting.
Gui Pasculli
And finally, what’s your favourite piece from the collection?
Tatiana: The charm, without a doubt. The craft, the detail, the little gold bow on the back – it’s perfect.
Gui: I don’t have a favourite piece but I have a favourite moment. Seeing the whole collection in the Kensington pop-up for the first time – the 80s aesthetic, the bottles, the bags. Kitsch and nostalgia are really important elements for us as a brand, and Anya leaned into that completely.
Anya wanted to bring the Malibu of that era to life, and when you see it in person, you feel it. That’s not easy to manufacture.
Gui Pasculli
Everything we’d talked about and worked towards, suddenly right there in front of you – that’s when you know it was worth it.
