Russell and Bromley bags - quality?

[BillStickersIsInnocent]

Does anyone have a R&B bag? I like the feel of the leather of the ones I've seen, and they look well made but interested in anyone's thoughts.

I love the simplicity of some of their bags, and the fact they aren't overly branded.

I love R and B bags for exactly the reasons that you have pointed out, excellent quality, very good Italian design and minimal branding. The prices compared to the high designer brands are low but the quality is every bit as good. I think like me you will become a regular customer when you want to treat yourself to a fab new bag.

I was in there yesterday for the first time. Was very impressed and a bit surprised by the quality of the bags to be honest, quite blew me away!

Much nicer leather and construction than, say, Coach, or even Mulberry in my opinion.

Have not stopped thinking about them since!

I say buy now before they get involved with an 'It Brit' celebrity and raise their prices triple-fold.

Thanks.

That's interesting you say that petite - saw a Coach bag and the leather didn't feel as nice as the R & B one (in a dept store so could compare side by side). But I don't really know about this stuff and how good leather should feel and look...

I love Russell and Bromley.
Sadly I can't afford their lovely offerings.
Not that that would stop me buying if they opened an Irish store.

I realised when browsing that we kind of 'expect' the more touted and blogged about bags to be better somehow, and I don't think that's the case. I saw a bunch of Coach bags for the first time in Harvey Nics and was just 'meh' about them, although the little details like the hardwear were nice. The leather didn't look that great, in comparison to many lower priced brands, like Radley, etc.

Reputation has a lot of influence I suppose.
But R&B were like this little oasis of understated perfection.
I certainly didn't see much difference in quality between them and the YSL range. Nice shoes too!

I have 3 Russell and Bromley bags they are excellent quality and wear really well I don't really use them now tho this thread has reminded me to dig them out!

I have a R&B bag, it is 8 years old and still going strong. That and my Radley have out lasted other brands that I have had.

Mulberry are way over priced and very granny imho!

I've just ordered the ' Langley' bag in white. I'm hoping it'll see me through the summer so fingers crossed it's big enough!

It was fairly spendy but a fraction of the designer bags so I'm really hoping that the quality is comparable

I have a little cross body bag which I love - good quality leather, understated so that I hope to still be using it in 5-10 years time.

I kind of feel like I'm at a stage in my life (41 - old woman of the hills...) when I want to invest in things that I love and that I know I will still want to use for the foreseeable future. I am doing that with handbags but not really with shoes yet. Are R&B shoes worth the high cost? For classic styles, like neutral coloured stilettos etc, it would be nice to stop re-buying cheapo shoes in the same style multiple times per year and have some lovely high quality ones that I could look after and wear for years.

I NEVER thought I would be this kind of person

I love R&B. Saurus, I think their shoes and bags are well worth the money. Also, they have excellent customer service.

Cranagh thanks, the question is am I grown up enough to look after them properly and stay on top of re-heeling etc? Maybe I am. There are some beautiful sandals on the website..!

I'm really getting into handbags at the moment but thankfully shoes just pass me by as I live in either Toms, pistol boots or uggs.

I've been buying shoes and bags from them for many years, they're fab.

Have also been buying shoes and bags there for many years and love them. Have always been delighted with the quality of their bags ( and shoes). Prefer their bags to any more obviously branded ones.

Currently have one I've been using almost constantly for 18 months and still going strong as well as being stylish and practical at same time.

Another fan here of R&B bags and shoes. I have the Quilty bag and it still looks good after a few years despite not being treated very well. Their shoes last well too I have some loafers and ballet flats, still in great condition after a few years' wear.

I have the Quilty too - in black snake. A great investment. Has come out on lots of smarter occasions and always gets admired as well as doing the job needed.

Saurus I've just hot that point too...just bought a lovely pair of R & B thong sandals for the summer for that reason. OP, I have a R & B cross body bag that I've had for years and still love and use regularly. Am coveting pair of over the knee flat boots for winter.

Russell & Bromley products are great. Such a shame that they seem to be stuck in 2003 in terms of service. Really dated stores, no online sale, if you buy in the sale you can't return, etc, etc.

Yeah, what could the reason for no online sales possibly be? And yes, agree the stores are v dated. In fact it never even occurred to me to go into one until a beautiful bag caught my eye as I walked past the Covent Garden store last Summer.

Distance Selling Regulations means the customer has time to consider an item and is entitled to send it back. So it would mean returnable sales items.

Bit weird that they can't factor that into their business model but the rest of the world can.

It's a family business. Someone probably has to retire before they catch up.