No doubt, you will be familiar with the Mulberry.com site - be it for making a purchase, window shopping or lusting after new styles. You will probably also know what various department stores at the higher end stock Mulberry; Selfridges, Harvey Nicks, HoF and Harrods spring to mind, some of which offer Mulberry Online.
Mulberry Store
Walking into a Mulberry store or concession is still a thrill to me, I purchased most of mine pre-loved and buying new is a rarer occurrance. As much as I like Selfridges and HoF I'd say that if you're anywhere near a standalone Mulberry store: go there! It will feel infinitely more glamorous, the staff I have encountered were always very helpful and knowledgeable and you will get your bag or accessory wrapped and packed in lovely Mulberry-branded boxes, tissues, bows and bags. (I always find that a bit of a let-down if I buy at Selfridges: "No, I don't want a big yellow bag. I want a grey one!" *stomps foot*)If full price is still a bit much, do try the sales: usually twice a year (January & June/July), they offer decent discounts (around 20-30% at first, then possibly more) on seasonal colours and styles from the just gone season.
Mulberry Outlet
If you fancy cut-price-brand-new-out-of-sale-time-Mulberry then your best bet is going to an Outlet. You can find all the relevant information re. where they are, contact details etc here.I really can't recommend these enough, mainly because you can get some real classic styles there now, that have long stopped being sold in the main stores. The Mitzy and del Rey ranges are now produced exclusively for outlets and offer iconic styles at really reasonable prices.
Main line items will usually be 30% cheaper than at the stores, though you will only rarely see the classic or core leathers such as oak here. If you are after non-core leathers or flexible as to which finish you'd like, you should be able to walk out with something fab.
Keep your eyes peeled for anything that has "0" stamped into the Mulberry tag: this means it's a "Sub" (=substandard product). Quite often there will only be a tiny flaw, sometimes one that you can't even find or that has been rectified (e.g. missing padlock) but do ask what this is as it might bother you later or make selling the bag, should you decide to do so at a later date, difficult. If you find a bag stamped with a "00" be aware that this means the fault will be a bigger one. I believe any sub-stamped bags are now exempt from repairs, though I have heard that this only replies to the part that's faulty - but you might want to double check.
The outlet stores I've been to really don't feel like a bargain outlet but like a bona-fide Mulberry store and you still get all the lovely wrapping and packing and excellent service. It is also worth noting that, should you not live near one, they do post out bags and accessories (not sure about shoes as I have hear conflicting stories about these) for £7.50 - only within the UK though. [UPDATE: Mulberry currently do not post out from outlets. I believe this is due to a high level of payment fraud.]
Do bear in mind that the sales' prices might be lower than outlet prices, ie if you see a bag you fancy in the sale for 30% off or less, go for it - it won't be any cheaper in the outlet - and you might miss availability of the style as well!
If you wonder (or hope) whether Mulberry offers an online outlet, I am going to disappoint you: all the ones that spring up on google if you search for "Mulberry Outlet" are sites that sell fakes. Some pretend to be a genuine Mulberry site, some are quite open about selling "Grade A replicas". Either way: avoid! Considering a bag will still set you back around £200-£400 why would you buy a shoddily produced knock off? Go and spend that money somewhere like Radley or Jaeger, where you will find a lovely bag. Or save your pennies until you can afford the real thing. Or buy pre-loved.
Mulberry are trying to get these sites closed but they keep springing up under new URLs. When I stumble across one, I usually send an email to the Mulberry customer service department, who then will try and get that one chopped.
Other Places
Last but not least, there are of course the trusted sellers, who I have listed before and they very often offer brand new items. Papillonkia actually specialize in this and source bags from department stores, VIP sales etc, passing on some great savings.I'd love to hear where you buy your Mulberrys: only new? Only pre-loved? Always at the outlets? Let me know!
