British Invasion: Mulberry brings its iconic Bayswater bag and signature English style to Canadian shores this fall
See Mulberry’s celeb style in the making »
Photography by Peter Sitgter
Photography by by Dave m. Bennett/Getty
When it comes to fashionable fixtures at London Fashion Week, Alexa, Lily and Del Rey rule the front row. And we don’t mean the long-legged, doe-eyed It girls du jour—we’re referring to the fabled Mulberry handbags perennially perched on their laps.
These days, it seems no British style icon, from Victoria to Kate to the Duchess of Cambridge, steps out of her Chelsea mansion without the latest Mulberry on her arm. But before the classic English label was the calling card of London luxury, it was the epitome of British country chic. Founded in 1971 in Somerset by accessories designer Roger Saul, Mulberry’s roots are based firmly in le style anglais—think tweedy coats, woollen knits and the Downton Abbey-era pastimes of hunting, shooting and fishing. Known for its quintessential Britishness and country practicality, Mulberry was the go-to luggage maker for the English upper classes in the ’80s, but by the late ’90s, its dowdy old-world rep was outshone by sexier brands like Gucci and Prada.
Everything changed in 2003, when the label introduced its Bayswater tote. A cross between a Birkin and an English doctor’s bag, the structured satchel became an instant best-seller after Kate Moss was photographed with one in 2004. Ten years later, the legendary tote remains the brand’s most recognizable and best-selling handbag. In fact, many of Mulberry’s subsequent hits have been spinoffs of the Bayswater design, including the Alexa, the Del Rey and Moss’s new fave, the waiting list-worthy Willow, a winged tote with a front pocket that zips off to double as a clutch.
With Mulberry’s first Canadian boutiques set to open in Toronto this fall, we’re expecting to see its hip handbags and heritage-meets-downtown style on fashionable arms this side of the pond. Even the Dowager Countess would approve.
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