Kate Middleton in Mulberry. Photo: Getty Images

Mulberry’s love of all things quirky and whimsical doesn’t get in the way of their business savvy. The British powerhouse brand has just released its half year results; sales have tripled with total revenues jumping 62% to £72 million (about $112 million) and retail sales rising 47% in the half-year through September—talk about good news. Turns out being a bit off kilter isn’t a bad thing. This morning, chief executive Godfrey Davis told us, “Mulberry’s eccentricity is an essential part of its history and character. I mean, the English are bonkers really, aren’t they. And that happily is represented in our brand.” It’s been a phenomenal year for the storied British brand: they opened a swank new head office on Kensington Church Street, a flagship on Spring Street in New York, and are set to expand their Somerset factory (which will create 60 new jobs). The environmentally friendly space will include solar panels on the roof and a rainwater-harvesting tank to collect water. Also, as if to heighten their rep as the best loved employers in the UK, Mulberry will introduce a bus service to collect staff from their homes and bring them to work. To top things off, the Duchess of Cambridge has become quite a fan of the brand. She’s been carrying the navy Polly Pushlock for the past few months and wore a green silk dress to a press-filled cocktail party last week.  Godfrey added, “It’s great to see someone that glamorous, someone who is loved internationally, choose pieces from Mulberry. We are also very pleased indeed that she is paying attention to British fashion.” With Kate Middleton attracting one sort of fan and Alexa Chung loyally courting the other, it’s no wonder Mulberry’s numbers keep climbing up and up. Godfrey, however, would like to thank someone else for the brand’s good fortune: “It was the sales drive, the expansion, plus this great team we have that all played a role.”