Mulberry Sample Sale

Our Mulberry Facebook page has been in a bit of a frenzy with the current Mulberry sample sale in full swing. People sharing their bargains, newbies trying to find out how to get in on the action - and a bit of eBay stalking, sniffing up the mark ups of some cunning re-sellers. I have actually never been, as I don't live near London and it doesn't warrant me traveling down purely for this, but some of my friends have been and the page is usually awash with info and snapshots. ***Thanks at this point to Bea Tare and Catherine Fry for pics and infos!***




When is it on?
Usually twice a year, this one was at the end of July, I think the other one is on in January.

How do I get an invite?
Your best bet is to be on the Mulberry mailing list, I usually get a notification, referring me to their sign up page. Here you can request an invite for a specific day. The other option is to follow the Music Room pages, where the event is usually held. There is no fee to pay as such, but they ask you to make a small (£2) donation when you hand in your bag and coat (see below).

What do I need to know?
I believe, you will have to leave your bag(s) and coat in the cloakroom. You're only allowed to take in your phone and purse.
It gets rather busy, though the length of the queue and congestion in the venue fluctuates. Either way, plan in time, you can't be sure about how long it's going to take you!

What can I find there?
Past seasons' stock, the odd obscure sample (e.g. a bag made in an unusual leather), outlet surplus.

What are the discounts like?
Actually very similar to outlet prices (an example here), though you will find the odd mega bargain. Have a look at the prices below the pics to give you an idea. Considering that you get a proper "Mulberry experience" at the outlet, I'd probably prefer that over a sample sale visit (some people liken it to a rummage sale) but if you're around when one is on, it is well worth checking out.

Alice Small - £550 
Blossom Tote - £229 
Camera Bags - £250 
Cara Mini Quilted - £400 
Cara Medium Quilted - £795 
Clemmie Clutch - £365 
Daria Taupe - £555 
Effie Satchel oak/black - £260 
Effie Tote oak/black - £300 
Freya Satchel - £395 
Kensington Small - £400 
Kensington Large - £495 
Lily Mini - £199 
Tessie Satchel - £425 
Tessie Tote - £350 
Tessie Hobo - £475 
Willow Tote (small) - £795 
Willow Tote (large) - £895 

Small Zip Around Purse - £135 
Long purse - £205 
Belts - £50ea. or £80 for 2 
Cara Quilted Pouch - £95 
iPad cases (different sizes) - £30 
Zipped Cosmetic Purse orange, green - £135 
Key rings - £30 

Ready to wear samples - from £50 
Trousers - £50 
Blouses and dresses - from £50 
Scarves - £125 
Shoes - from £100

How to Spot a Fake

So, over the past couple of years I have told you how to minimise the risk of buying a fake Mulberry and where to go to have it authenticated. What I haven't shown you is some of the detail that can give away a fake bag straight away. I obviously don't have an endless supply of fakes but I do have this Mulberry Oversized Alexa, so have a look at my video and pics and take note of the signs that give away a bag as fake! (By the way, it's not this one - different bag!)

And as promised - some pictures to accompany the video! 

The fake is the 'watermelon' colour, the black is my genuine one.

The most obvious first: the Imprint on the oval and the fob with the tree. 

 

See how the genuine Mulberry's font is a sans serif, i.e. without little lines at the end of each letter? All straight lines. It is also neatly printed and not smudged (if a bit worn on my battered Lexie).

The stitching is neat and even - though I have seen genuine bags with messier stitching!

The metal fob, which is hanging off the oval is neatly imprinted. Now, I can never remember how many leaves are in which position but the genuine tree has sharply printed leaves.

The fake bag's Mulberry imprint font is more 'frilly' looking, the letters emulate more of a serif font, i.e. little lines at the ends of the letters. It is also badly printed and not very straight.

The stitching is fairly even but has a weird kink on the left hand side.

The leaves of the tree on the metal fob are rounder and not as sharp.

Back of the fob and serial number

The font on the back of the fob is likewise a sans serif, straight numbers, neatly lasered (or etched?) on.

  The font of the numbers on the fake bag is much more frilly. Whilst some vintage bags have numbers that are actually imprinted into fonts rather than etched or lasered, I have only ever seen straight, non serif fonts.

Now, the made in label isn't as obvious.

Above the genuine...

...the fake below.

I don't have a 'Made in England' label from an Alexa on file but this is from another genuine bag and if you compare the 'g' in England, you can see how the genuine one looks more old fashioned - funnily enough a bit more frilly than the fake font. They just can't get it right, can they. ;) 

 The genuine magnetic closure...

is raised and has a distinct ridge.

 The fake bag's magnetic closure is fairly flat and has no ridge.

Closure straps

The genuine bag has straight screws on the back of the metal tabs at the end of the straps. The tree imprint is even and neat and the metal totally flat around it.

 The screws on the fake bag have Phillips heads (i.e. like a cross). The tree imprint looks fairly neat but the metal is depressed around the tree as well.

And Something else I noticed:

 See how there is only stitching to what you see above and below the tree rivet (this is to the left and right of the top handle).

The fake bag has stitching top and bottom and left and right. This isn't present on the genuine bag at all.

There are actually another few differences but these are the most obvious ones. Hopefully you will find them useful, but do bear in mind that every model can have its own markers. The new generation of Mulberry (under Coca's design) has changed significantly and many of said characteristics have disappeared altogether. Nothing beats spending £5 and getting it authenticated by professionals! And even somebody who has handled lots of bags (ahm, me), isn't safe: I would have sworn this was the real deal!

Bag Logic

Passing through these pages I would completely forgive you if you said I was bag-mad. A bit obsessed. And if you thought that I just bought handbags on a whim. Of course, if you read my back and forth with the Roxette and Cara, you'll know that I am probably more the exact opposite. That I overthink my purchases at times.

The truth is, that I do both. Sometimes I think and analyse to the nth degree. Then a bag, which I loved and would probably work very well, becomes almost unfeasible and I abandon the idea altogether. Then again I might see something that I just pounce on. Usually (and thankfully) the impulse buys tend to be comparatively affordable. Well, everything is relative...

Anyway, I thought it might be useful for me to share the reasonable levels of consideration that  give a bag purchase. I think buying your first designer handbag can be quite daunting - even if we don't consider questions around authenticity, where to buy and budget. 

When considering a bag for myself (or advising somebody else on a purchase), I would always consider the following:

1. Lifestyle
What kind of bag would you use most often? Do you want something for a night out, a special occasion or day to day? Would a bag that's suitable for work be the best investment piece?

2. Size
The above will make you think about which occasion you want your bag for. So how much would you want to carry on those occasions? Just a purse, phone and key? Or maybe even just lippy and a credit card? Or will you want to lug around snacks, a change of clothes, dummies, toys..? The bigger the bag, the more you might try to carry, whilst a smaller one might discipline you into thinking what's important and what can stay at home. Also, don't underestimate how much all your stuff weighs.

3. Use

How do you like to organise your bag's contents? Do you prefer a boxy style that retains its shape? Or something lose and casual. Do you hate rooting around your bag and want to be able to find everything quickly? How do you want to carry your bag? Do you need to be hands free? (Maybe because you're chasing after a toddler or carrying something else.) Do you have any issues with your neck or back that would make it uncomfortable to be carried a certain way? Or would a heavy bag cause any issues? Are you fine having to baby a bag or do you need something you don't mind getting wet, e.g. because you commute and might have to walk in the rain.  
And then I'd decide on what I do and don't want from the below:

Size

Self explanatory, right? How big is the bag - what does it hold?
Big - holds your kitchen sink
Medium - typical handbag size
Small - fit in your key items (purse, keys, phone, tissues...)
Mini - essentials only (key, credit card, coin purse)

Strap
How can you carry this bag?
Very Short - handheld or crook of arm only
Short - maybe just about on the shoulder
Medium - carry on the shoulder
Long - carry cross body (or usually: adjust to taste)

Weight
Closely linked to size and strap is weight. A big bag will most likely weigh more than a small one - as will its contents. A long strap can make carrying your bag much easier, if it's too heavy it might still prove a struggle for everyday use. Then there is the choice of leather, that can make a real difference. Especially important if you have issues with your shoulder(s) or arm(s). The below are all relative to yourself, of course. What's heavy for some, might be no problem for others.
Light - no problem to carry
Medium - no big issue if carried for short times
Heavy - best to sit on a chair or the car seat next to you. Not really a daily commute bag. (My Roxanne falls into this but I can make her somewhat easier to use with a wide guitar strap.)

 

Structure
How boxy or slouchy is this bag? Will it fall into a puddle if empty?
Slouchy - yep, this one puddles
Boxy - will hold its shape

Care
How sensitive is the leather/finish? Will two drops of rain have you run for cover or is it one of those bags that you can chuck in the corner without worrying?
High Maintenance - take outside at your own peril, order an extra chair at dinner
So so - treat her with respect, treat with Collonil and be a bit careful
Bomb Proof - well, maybe not quite bombs but raindrops, baby dribble or even a drop of wine 
- as long as she's been Collonil'd you don't have to worry.

Colour
I'm a sucker for Mulberry NVT Oak and think it kind of goes with everything. But then again, I also never match shoes and belt or bag. For me, function always comes first. But maybe you're looking for a specific colour, or for one that will go with an existing outfit? I If you are, you might already exclude certain styles, that simply didn't come in your desired hue. If you're not looking for a specific shade, it's still worth considering the following choices:
Neutral light - nudes or oak, I think goes with everything
Neutral dark - black or very dark blue
Pop of colour - punchy, you have to be happy for your bag to either stand out or have the wardrobe to match/harmonise

Accessibility
I like doing the "queue test": Imagine you're stood in a queue and have to fish out your purse, travel ticket or passport quickly without setting your bag down. Does it work? How quickly? I like bags I can work cross body for that reason but have found other bags that I expected fiddly to be ok - and others that I thought would be ok don't work quite as well.
Fiddly - yep, takes me a while and/or I have to worry to drop something (or maybe I look like an idiot doing it?)
With Practice - might seem fiddly at first but once you get the hang of it, no problem.
Easy - open, retrieve item, close. That simple.

Occasion

Are you looking for a bag for every day or for a (fancy) occasion? I personally don't do any matching of shoes with bags and am happy to carry something sparky with my jeans - but you might think differently.

Dressy - something very pretty, maybe sparkly, probably best for a special occasion

Everyday - goes with a day outfit, doesn't look too dressy

What I do now, is exclude all bags that contradict what I would select as a 'must have' from above. And look closer at those that tick multiple boxes - or at least those that are most important. And then I have a pretty good shopping list. (If you're new to (vintage) Mulberry, have a look at my review archive, where you can find reviews of lots of Mulberry models - and match them against your shopping list.) What's your absolute must have?

Strapping Beauties

You know I'm not very good in the kitchen, right? I won't lie: I'm generally not very crafty. I blame it on not having enough time but the truth is I'm neither very talented nor patient enough to refine any rudimentary skill. And yet I am bringing you a crafty 'How to'. How so? On one of the Mulberry groups I frequent, a very talented lady called Helen shared how she made guitar style straps for her bags. I think they are fab and make most bags instantly more useable. I asked her straight away whether she would write a guest post for my blog so that her step by step guide could be preserved for all eternity. So without much further ado - but a big THANKS to Helen - here it is!

Kate Spade Orchard Street Arla in Deep Indigo and Mulberry Small Bayswater Satchel in Oak with guitar style straps

With interchangeable straps being so popular at the moment, I wanted to try one on my bag, but couldn’t find one I liked – so I decided to make my own. Now, I sew quite a lot of my own clothes, so I’m reasonable good with a sewing machine, but this is so straightforward anyone can have a go, and you could hand sew this, if you don’t have a machine. It took me about 15 minutes to make each strap – shopping online for the bits took longer than making them. Here’s my quick walk through how to make a strap, what you’ll need, and my top tips. 

You'll need 
- 1.5-2m of webbing, 
- the same length of jacquard type ribbon or trim, 
- two dog lead type clips and 
- a slide bar (optional, but it's easier than trying to get exactly the right length strap). 

Tip 1 - hardware- be sure to get the right size clips, the first ones I got weren't big enough for the chunky d-rings on my SBS, so I had to order larger ones. If in doubt go for larger sized clips

I got the webbing and hardware from eBay (search for bag hardware or dog lead / lobster clips), and the jacquard ribbon from my local sewing shop (online search for jacquard or woven ribbon/trim/braid for similar). I went for cotton webbing as I prefer how that feels to nylon. You can use almost any trim, but I’d avoid anything which might get caught in the slide bar and hardware, so that rules out pom-poms. Also, avoid anything which describes itself as stretch – there are some lovely decorative elastic trims but they won’t work! I spent about £12 on each strap, so they aren't cheaper than a strap from Next, but they are unique and exactly what I wanted. Webbing and hardware (the loops for the webbing, not the clip) need to be the same size, but trim can be narrower. Both of these straps use 40mm webbing and clips. You can get smaller, but I like a wide strap, both for comfort and effect, and I carry a lot about. 

Tip 2 - Differently sized trim is trickier to sew so try to avoid this if you aren't a confident sewist. 

I started by sewing the trim to the webbing. Sew this as close to the edge as you can, and take your time. You’ll be securing the end later, so don’t bother back stitching. If you are handsewing, this just need to be secure, it won’t be taking any weight. I had some spray fabric glue so used this to hold the trim to the webbing while I did this, but pins work too. 

Tip 4 - I also used an edge stitch foot to help get really close to the edge, a zipper foot would also work. 

 
The strap with narrower trim was trickier, and the hardest bit was getting this trim dead centre down the whole length. I used a 1/4inch piecing foot to keep the stitches perfectly on the narrow edging on this one. 

Tip 5 - Use a bag with a similar strap to help figure out the hardware. I started by sewing the slider on, then threaded the first clip on, back through the slider, and finished by sewing the second clip. Just turn the edge under once and then sew through the three layers several times. 

Tip 6 - I found it easier to leave the needle down (my machine has a setting for this) and then turned the whole strap round, rather than trying to backstitch. I made sure this was very secure by doing this about five times. If handsewing this is the heaviest and trickiest bit – remember that these stiches will take the whole weight of your bag. You’ll probably need a thimble! 

That’s it – adjust the length and you are done!

I am a keen sewist, knitter and crocheter, and I’m developing an alarmingly expensive taste in handbags! 
(I’m wearing a Cashmerette Springfield Top in Liberty Karter Tana Lawn in pink.)

Helen Charlton