Sometime you search for a bag forever and never find it. And sometimes several come along together. I've done individual posts on the Mulberry Kelly in small, medium (though I thought it was small at the time) and large but now I happened to have all three sizes here together, so I thought I'd do a quick size comparison.
Don't get confused by the picture, unfortunately the one in the printed teak leather is not included as she found a new home. It is roughly the same size as the large black one - though the black one is less structured and more slouchy. If I was to compare to the Hermes Kelly, I'd liken it to the Kelly Retourne as opposed to the Sellier, which is more structured.
This bag has got to be the cutest and prettiest Mulberry I have ever owned: A Kelly. In a mini version. In printed black leather. And since it's New Year's Eve, I thought this would be just the perfect time to present this little black bag. Not that you will have enough time to get one for tonight but if you like the idea of a Kelly and don't mind to reduce your stuff to fit a small bag, you could do a lot worse than find one of these for your nights out!
Don't get me wrong, I like nice handbags (no kidding) but I don't think I'll either ever like one as much as I'd have to, to spend that amount of money on a bag or have as much money, where spending a few thousand on a handbag is acceptable. Nonetheless, I love the style, the simplicity, the elegance, the heritage and thoughts it conjures up. As if by carrying a Kelly I could just be that tiny bit more like Grace Kelly herself (yeah, right). Anyway, lacking the funds or recklessness to buy the original Hermes Kelly, I was delighted to come across Mulberry's own version. I already found the larger one a while ago but this one was smaller and just that tad more elegant. And impractical...
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.
