Mulberry Handbags

I’ve had my eye on the Mulberry Roxanne A4 Tote ever since its first red patent leather iteration came out several seasons ago, and now that it’s back (and less expensive) in purple patent-coated canvas, I can’t help but fawn over it again.

One thing that I think Mulberry does very well with their bags is that they make them completely and totally functional. They seem to consider the purpose for which the bag will be used just as much as they consider the way that the bag will look, and what they end up with is a great collection of bags that can be used every day and for a variety of purposes. All kinds of women could have these bags in their closet. I have but one gripe with this bag in particular, and it’s purely aesthetic: the straps and the pocket flaps. They’re a different material, which I like for an accent, but I wish they were smooth instead of pebbled. The pebbling really, really bugs me. A lot. Other than that, though, I think purple patent will go with a lot more than you may realize. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $795.

I wrote about another Mulberry bag with this finish a few weeks ago, and I love it so much (and so did a lot of you guys, to my everlasting surprise) that I had to bring you guys the Mulberry Ava Chain Clutch when I saw it.

Because, I mean, look at it. It’s got all the great parts of the last bag, but this time in a cute, bite-sized portion. It’s like a fun-size candy bar, but the purse version. But it’s still got the amazing, dark silver, shiny, croc-stamped leather, and I think it might go with just about any cute dress that I’ve got in my closet. And, honestly, most of the not-cute dresses I have, too (because, fess up, we all have them). And because of the finish and the color, I doubt it would show wear very quickly, making it a perfect going-out bag for a night of clubbing or barhopping. And really, I just want something-anything-made out of this material. Buy through Mulberry for $495.

So, last fall, it was purple. This spring and summer, some people say it’s yellow and other people say it’s blue. But according to Women’s Wear Daily, next season, it’s going to be green. Didn’t we just have green a few years ago? Like, circa 2004? I guess there are only a certain number of “it” colors available, so they probably circle around pretty quickly. Let’s just be glad it hasn’t been chartreuse yet - not everyone can wear that stuff. And by not everyone, I mean almost no one.

So now, green. How do we feel about green? I love these sort of blue-green pieces that are featured in WWD’s story, but I fear that when the trend is translated to downmarket retailers like Forever 21, it may become more of a seafoam nightmare than I’d like. But if everyone can stick to true greens, and maybe a few blue-greens, then I’ll be happy to hop on this bandwagon along with everyone else when fall’s new stuff starts hitting shelves.

Oh, and wondering about the bags in the picture? They’re not available in those colors yet, but you can buy Mulberry’s Oversized Bayswater Clutch for $695 via Net-a-Porter. Similar Kotur snake clutches are available via Singer 22.

I think that this may be the best actualization of a bag with two sets of handles that I’ve seen in quite a while. Face it - two sets of handles on one bag has the potential to be incredibly awkward, and almost always realizes that potential. It usually ends up looking floppy and messy, with straps hanging everywhere and obscuring pockets, seaming, and other design details.

The Mulberry Jody Shoulder Bag makes it work rather well, though. And I think one small detail is the key - the satchel straps lock in to place with a metal and leather loop that holds them down (and folds the bag over) when not in use. And this makes all the difference. There’s no awkward flapping and sagging; instead, the bag looks like it was designed with all of its attributes taken into consideration, and the entire finished product actually LOOKS finished. It’s funny that a simple leather attachment and metal lock can change the game on bags with two carrying options, but all the other brands out there have something to learn from this bag. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $825.

The Mulberry Ice Cream Clear Tote is embellished with whimsical illustrations by British artist, Julie Verhoeven. You may recognize Verhoeven’s name and quirky cool designs from her collaborations with Louis Vuitton, Lancome and previous collection for Mulberry in 2007.

This roomy Mulberry tote is perfect for your poolside essentials and will look sizzling with your Melissa Odabash bikini and Carrera aviator sunglasses. The clear double handled vinyl tote has an interior zipped pocket, interior pockets for your phone and an embossed metal Mulberry logo tag. Shop more clear beach totes here. Mulberry Ice Cream clear tote for $175 through Net-a-Porter.

Via The Find

Sometimes when I pick a bag to write about, I know I’m asking for trouble. I don’t mind the disagreement, though - I possess that rare and endearing quality of always thinking I’m right, no matter what (that IS endearing, right? No? Oh). So I present, without fear, the Mulberry Metallic Croc Print Bayswater. Super shiny? Yes, it is. Stamped with an exotic texture? Yes, that too. Too big to pull it off? Probably, but I really like it anyway, and you can’t convince me otherwise.

Despite the fact that its texture is mirror-slick and not distressed like the metallics I usually prefer, the fact that they used a gunmetal silver instead of a bright, blue-based silver is really winning me over. The texture reminds me of a much less expensive, much more useful version of the Balenciaga Metallic Crocodile Wristlet we’ve talked about recently. I’d choose the Bal in a second, but since I don’t think my credit card limit is that high, the Mulberry version seems like a fun substitute that might actually hold some of my stuff. Buy through ShopBop for $1250.

After Mulberry rep Jackie contacted us a few days ago and asked us to take a look at their bags on their own website instead of other retailer’s, not only did I update my opinion of the Mulberry Creased Patent Mitzy Hobo, but I spent some time looking around their website at the huge number of bags that they have in their line. I had simply never realized before, and I think that it might be a brand that a lot of Americans overlook. Well, I’ve been set straight now, and any of you guys out there that are big fans of simple bags with thick leather might want to peruse their website as well. Don’t believe me? Well, take a look at the Mulberry Shimmy Tote. When I saw it, it left me (as the Brits say) gobsmacked. This thing is gorgeous. And it’s gorgeous in a totally simple, understated way. It doesn’t scream at anyone about how expensive it is, it just looks really well-made and chic. It is exactly my style, and a perfect color for the navy (although Mulberry calls it ‘purple’) trend for spring. The bag is also made of sheep leather…I’m not quite sure what that feels like, do any of you know? I’m familiar with calf, lamb, goat…but I don’t know if I’ve encountered sheep. It LOOKS very soft, though. Mulberry has sold out of it on their site, but ShopBop still has it available for $995 (although their pictures don’t do it justice). Buy through ShopBop for $995.

  

After I first posted about the Mulberry Creased Patent Mitzy Hobo the other day, Megs received an email from Jackie at Mulberry with a link to check out the bag on their website to show that the bag is, indeed, slouchy and wonderful. And as you can see above, it is! The patent does appear to slouch quite nicely, and her assertion that ShopBop overstuffed the bag on their website does indeed seem true (and hobos get awkward-looking quickly when overstuffed). What I see above is a far lovelier bag than I wrote about yesterday, and while I still don’t adore the color, it looks a lot better here than it does in the previous photo, which appeared to have been washed out by the camera flash. So I take back all the mean things I said about how this bag was going to poke everyone in the armpit. Because it’s not.

I’ve also included a shot from their website of the regular leather Mulberry Mitzy Hobo, because I’m in love. It’s gorgeous. The leather looks thick and soft and fantastic, and I love the shape and the slouch. I owned a Mulberry bag a while back, and the leather on that one was awesome, and this one looks even better. I wish more places in Georgia carried the brand because there’s a lot of bags on their site that I have never seen before, and now I really want to scope them out in person. I’ve always been a casual Mulberry fan in the past, but I’m starting to take a more active interest. Buy through ShopBop for $695.

At first glance, I was on board with the Mulberry Creased Patent Mitzy Hobo. I like big leather hobos, and I like Mulberry, so I didn’t give the whole thing much of a second thought. But upon further consideration…I can’t get behind this. Patent leather hobos are extremely hard to structure correctly - it’s a shape that is supposed to slouch, by definition, and patent is a material that is much more conducive to creating structure than slouch. So, strike one. Because of the apparent lack of slouch, the handle isn’t long enough. I don’t think it would be comfortable to carry on my shoulder - I’m not a fan of having leather poke me in the arm pit. Strike Two. Then, the color. Oh, the color. Mulberry calls it “Lipstick,” but I certainly don’t have any lipstick in this shade, and I don’t think I would want a bag this color, either. it’s kind of salmon-y and a little too pastel for my taste, which is the same problem I had with the last Mulberry bag I reviewed. Pastels are hard to pull off and tend to make people look either washed-out or sallow, and I think this particular color might have both effects on my skin. So, strike three, it’s out. Buy through Shop Bop for $695.

I am, more or less, on board with the Mulberry Creased Jenah Bag. It’s on-trend in several ways - it has a chain strap, it’s a flap bag, and it’s smaller than the bags that we’ve seen in the past few seasons. It’d be a great addition to a spring wardrobe to satisfy a lot of the new bag looks in one package, theoretically. But the one thing that’s stopping me is…the color. I know that a lot of people will disagree with me, because I can see where people would think it was pretty, but I just can’t do it. Pastels (and this is basically a pastel) are not good on me. I have yellow undertones in my skin, and it’s just not a particularly lovely contrast. Also, for some reason, wearing any kind of pastel makes me feel like an enormous, 5-and-a-half-foot-tall toddler. I’m willing to admit that this is probably a hangup that only I have, but until I see it in another color (a medium-to-mustard yellow would be nice, if you’re listening, Mulberry), I’ll have to pass. Buy through Shop Bop for $1195.