Vintage Bucket

I have a bit of a soft spot for vintage Mulberry, especially their Congo leather. Nothing ages as nicely as this - it turns beautifully glossy and multitonal over years of use. I've had a few small satchels in this finish before but never before one of these bucket bags.

Want to see more? Have a look what I can fit in!

With a Little Grace

I love my Mulberrys. I really do. I coo over them - or others I can't afford. I think they are gorgeous. But I use them and generally think they are "just bags" (*ducks and covers*) Gorgeous (for most of the time) but they are just beautifully crafted pieces of leather. But ultimately, they are attainable - even if aspiration is still a factor.

There are certain other bags that will command respect. Admiration. Awe. And aspiration isn't even in the picture for me. In my opinion Hermes and Chanel are definitely leading the pack when it comes to creating iconic bags that are recognisable across the world - even by people who have otherwise no clue or interest in handbags.

At the very top of that has got to be the Hermes Kelly or Birkin. Waiting lists and price tags that beggar belief mean "normal" people like me will never even consider buying one. 

Of course other designers have drawn inspiration from copied the style but usually that ends in rather nasty imitations. Imagine my amazement when I came across one that was not only beautifully crafted but also - and here is the real shocker (ahem...) - from Mulberry?! Created in the late 80s or early 90s Roger Saul stole unashamedly from Hermes and delivered a bag that didn't just look like a Kelly, it was also called a Kelly. So here we go.

 The longest intro ever... enjoy!

Festival Bag - Mud Optional

If you're like me, then you don't want to have to baby your bags. You want to know that a regular treatment with Collonil products and some reasonable care will mean that you will be able to enjoy your investment in years to come (after all, that's what you told your other half, right?!).

I don't get the pictures, where you see the likes of Kate Moss gallivanting around a festival, Mulberry Roxanne over their shoulder, looking all boho and cool. Surely, you'd expect the bag to end up somewhere in a field, maybe being rained on excessively, possibly even being covered in mud?! (Mind you, I am sure the VIP areas are a bit short on the mud.) For that occasion I'd certainly steer clear of leather. And if it had to be Mulberry I'd turn to another one of their classic finishes: Scotchgrain. Have a look below and find out more...

In With the Old...

I have really enjoyed finding out about which Mulberry styles suit me more and which less, what makes them different to each other, how to best use them and the different leathers. This has been mainly across fairly recent styles but with Mulberry having been founded in 1971, there is a whole back-catalogue of styles to enjoy. I happened to have four different (some more some less) vintage around and I just did a quick show and tell on these... hope you enjoy!