Limited Edition Mulberry Alexa in Gold

Save, Spend, Splurge: The Mulberry Alexa has taken the handbag loving fashion world by storm. The shape of this bag, similar to the PS1, is the new cool. Laid-back, school-bag look is all the rage and we are loving it. You know why? It is casual without being sloppy and chic without being trendy. And then there is Alexa Chung, whom the bag is named after. Let’s face it, Alexa Chung is totally cool and stylish and has a really awesome bag named after her. Cue jealousy.

Mulberry has created a limited edition of the highly sought-after Alexa bag in distressed metallic gold for Selfridges. This distressed gold is a perfect metallic to have in your collection, as it is subdued and has additional dimension to the bag. It almost appears as if there is a pattern on the leather, but it is just the distressing technique. The hardware of the bag is a shiny gold, which is fitting with the leather color.

Only 40 bags will be available to buy from the Oxford Street, Manchester Trafford and Exchange and Birmingham stores as well as on the new Selfridges.com website. I do not see the bag right now on their website, which either means it has yet to arrive or they sold out. Either way, if you love this version, be one of 40 people to own it! Price is 拢795 which roughly converts to $1,200.

Crossbodies are summer’s best bags

Heading to Coachella this weekend? No? Me neither. But maybe one or two of you are lucky enough to make the hipster pilgrimage out to Indio, California for the annual indie music festival that keeps getting less indie by the year. Or maybe you’re saving your airline miles for a future summer festival – maybe Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee or Lollapalooza in Chicago? (The latter would be my pick since Lady Gaga is headlining.)

No matter what kind of outdoor events you’re attending this summer, from music festivals to baseball games, you’re going to need to bring a handbag of some sort. Crossbody bags are undoubtedly your best bet because they’re hands-free and convenient, but choosing one to use at an all-day event can be tricky. Too small, and you’re trying to stuff way too many things in to it; too big, and it’s a burden to carry around for an extended period of time, particularly in summer heat. Luckily, we’ve done all the legwork for you and found three perfect crossbodies that will satisfy any (ok, almost any) budget.

Save: Marc by Marc Jacobs Natasha Crossbody This little guy is bright and cheery, with a padded strap that you can wear all day and plenty of room inside for all your essentials, plus an extra pocket in the flap, which gives you more room than you even realized you had. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $328.

Spend: Alexander Wang Brenda Crossbody If ever there were a time when Alexander Wang’s bags were absolutely appropriate, it would be at super-indie music festivals like Coachella. What better way to let everyone else know that you’re already in the know than by carrying a bag from fashion’s uber-downtown It Boy? Buy through ShopBop for $725.

Splurge: Mulberry Alexa Crossbody Clutch Speaking of hipster It Bags, bag-namesake Alexa Chung is exactly the type of uber-fashionable girl that gets photographed at music festivals that feature bands of whom no one has ever heard. The easiest way to channel her style, obviously, is to carry the bag that she inspired. I’ve got to admit, however – it’s also pretty cute and functional. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1150.

Mulberry Offers Leather Options for Apple Products

Are you part of the Apple revolution? Vlad and I still have one PC in our home/office but otherwise we have Apple products taking over each room of the house. And while you may not have one of their computers, the iPod and iPhone truly did change the way we listen to music and use cellphones. But how do you protect your precious products?

If you are like us, you buy a simple case at the Apple store (they truly do offer many options), and go on your way. Many design houses have come up with options (like Louis Vuitton for the iPad) for those of us who do not want to settle for simple and usable options rather we prefer fashionable and usable options. Mulberry created an entire line of products for Apple, from messenger bags to pouches to cases.

The Mulberry for Apple Collection is appealing to a variety of people. In fact, many of the designs seem very unisex to me. I can’t say for certain I see Vlad buying an item, but I think many men could not only get away with buying from this collection but it would look great on them.

I was immediately drawn to the Mulberry Brynmore which comes in black, oak, and chocolate leather. The messenger style bag carries Mulberry qualities and signature looks that we expect. This bag is made for the 15″ MacBook Pro. Thank you Mulberry for making a bag designated for my exact laptop.

Other options I like include the Daria Mini Messenger for the iPhone, Bayswater Sleeve, and the Drew Sleeve. Unless I am missing something, there is not an option for 17″ MacBook Pros, so Vlad actually is out of the picture. The 13″ and 15″ are the most commonly bought MacBooks and have quite a few options from Mulberry. As far as the iPhone goes, I wouldn’t carry my iPhone in a case like that because I am always getting calls and needing to reach my phone quick, but it is cute. Cute enough to buy and use as a little pouch purse. Shop all Mulberry for Apple items at Mulberry online.

Mulberry Jumps on the Leopard Trend with their Lily Bag

Leopard print never really goes out of style. But at times it comes back in style with power and right now is one of those times. Every designer is showing leopard print right now and I, for one, am loving it. I am a huge fan of leopard print accessories. Give me a bag or shoe with a great animal print and I am a happy fashionista. I may not be as daring as Rihanna in her Dolce & Gabbana get up, but I am all about the accessories (clearly).

Mulberry wants to get on our radar with the Mulberry Lily Leopard Print Shoulder Bag. This red suede shoulder bag showcases metallic red leopard print. The question is, does it pass the test?

My answer is kind-of; I kind-of dig this bag and I kind-of don’t. You see, paired with an outfit like styled on Net A Porter, it works well. A true red bag adds a statement color to an outfit and having the slight, but not overly gaudy, leopard print is a nice touch. Making this Mulberry bag much larger would end up with the final product being too in-your-face. The silver-tone hardware is the perfect choice, gold would surely look tacky with this bag. And the adjustable chain and leather strap (very Chanel-esque), is a nice touch.

Speaking of Chanel, this bag resembles a Chanel bag quite a bit. There is a fold-over flap with a twist lock fastening as well. I’m happy to see more leopard print and more varieties of it. We all expect the typical leopard print colors, but red is a welcomed change. Buy through Net A Porter for $695.

Mulberry to design collection for Target

We’re a couple days late on this story because we were hoping to have pictures for you, but no such luck. Instead, we’ll have to use our imaginations to figure out what Mulberry‘s line for use discount retailer Target will look like.

The collection, slated for release October 10, makes the British brand the latest in a long line of designers that have collaborated with Target for capsule lines of clothes, bags and shoes. What makes this particular set of bags interesting, however, is that the bags will reportedly be made of materials like denim and velvet, avoiding the PVC-heavy purses that we’ve seen in the past.

I’ve always hated the waxy texture and chemical smell of PVC, so I’m hopeful that the use of something other than fake leather will elevate these bags above some of the previous handbag collections that we’ve seen at Target. Are you excited about this collection? We’ll post pictures as soon as they come our way.

White(ish)-Hot Mulberry Ostrich Bayswater

The Mulberry Bayswater deserves credit where credit is due, it is truly much more of an iconic piece than many give it credit for. The shape and style of the bag has been compared to the Hermes Birkin countless times, and while there are similar aspects they are still very different bags. When I saw my first Ostrich Bayswater bags I fell in love. Ostrich is not a material for everyone. Complaints often revolve around the texture of ostrich skin being a turn off. And that may be the case for you. But some love the added dimension the skin gives their bag.

And if you fall into the category of loving ostrich skin, the Mulberry Ostrich Bayswater may be a bag for you.

What I love most about this bag is the color. It is not quite white and not quite grey, instead being labeled ‘stone’. It is a light stone color, which will easily work with many outfits and seasons. I did just find one aspect of the ostrich skin that I do not like when looking at this bag: Do you see those 4 or 5 random ostrich pocks sitting on the handles? I suppose this is the closest I have felt towards being a bit creeped out by ostrich skin, because they just look out of place and weird on the handles.

Anyhow, back to the bag. Handle pocks aside, I still love the color and the design of the Bayswater. The good thing is that this bag can easily go from day to night and be worn dressed-down or dressed-up. That is something important to consider when buying an expensive bag, because you want to get your money’s worth. Buy via NAP for $5,000.

Does Mulberry have another hit on its hands with the Neely Tote?

Much has been made over fall’s leopard trend (in fact, much has been made by us), but it’s been difficult to crown a clear winner when trying to decide on the best leopard bag of the season. When we did a decidedly non-comprehensive roundup of some of the season’s spotted bags two months ago, many people liked the YSL option that cost a very unfortunate $3500.

I’ve found a bag that I like even more than that one, and for nearly a thousand dollars less. The only problem is that I’ve only “found” it in a philosophical sense – the Mulberry Neely Tote is sold out everywhere that I can think to look, including Mulberry’s website. It appears as though the brand has successfuly capitalized on the Alexa’s popularity and created yet another it-bag.

The beauty of this bag is in the simplicity of the shape combined with the vibrant, tactile pattern. A bag with intricate structure only interrupts a good print, and setting the two up to compete against each other is usually a recipe for disappointment. You probably have to be a leopard lover like me to understand how deep and true my feelings for this bag really are, but if I could find one, I’d snap it up right now. I can’t even explain how perfect it would be with all my winter greys and blacks. The bag retails for $2650 when available, and you can get more details via Mulberry.

Mulberry for Target

One of the most highly anticipated handbag collaborations for Target was their partnership with Mulberry. Once it was first announced, every fashionista was anxiously awaiting a peek at the line. Luckily, Gilt Groupe partnered with Mulberry to sell some of the items before they hit Target stores. The bags sold out in a matter of minutes. The look is very reminiscent of the Mulberry bags we know and love with a price tag that almost everyone can attain. The bags will hit Target stores nationwide in October. Take a look at the first batch of Mulberry for Target below and share your thoughts with us!