Mulberry bags....thoughts please

[JustAnotherDayWorkingAtHome]

I have been coveting the Loewe Puzzle bag for some time now but I have decided I simply cannot and never will be able to justify the £2,400 price tag.

I have recently been looking at the Mulberry Billie, in chalk, I know it is not similar but it does look like a really nice bag and it is a third of the price tag and is the size and idea of the kind of bag I want.

I can't put my finger on it though but there is something I am just not sure about with Mulberry....will this last the test of time?

Mulberry Billie Small Classic Grain Leather Cross Body Bag, Chalk at John Lewis & Partners

It looks fairly inoffensive and IMO looks practical other than the colour.
If you really want the Loewe bag it's just second best though.

Mulberry bags are lovely but they aren’t like Loewe, Especially now they’re made abroad in huge, huge numbers. I say this as someone who used to work in a Mulberry store when Roger Saul was still the owner and very involved in the shops, and his sister Rosemary was the designer. Yeah, a long time ago.

So, what I’m trying to say is, they’re nice bags and worth what they cost but the Billie seems off to you because that’s not the bag you want. If you settle for it, it will seem like a poor imitation. You want the Loewe bag. I think you’d be better searching for a reconditioned Puzzle (there are loads of reputable restorers and dealers you can sign up with who will put you on a list for what you want) than going for a Mulberry but that’s just my opinion.

I think that you have hit the nail on the head OooScotland....maybe I should just squirrel away and wait a bit longer and as you say look at pre-loved.

There were some good value Loewe bags at Bicester Village.
Not the puzzle though which is my fav too.
Not a Mulberry fan. Would rather have a demellier bag.

I absolutely love Mulberry bags, I have a pink Lily, black small Alexa, large grey Bayswater, black hobo bag (forget the name) and most recently a mini Antony in the most gorgeous baby blue colour. All used regularly and definitely have stood the test of time.

The hobo bag I’ve had since 2013 and used it for work almost every day (except since Covid when WFH). Absolutely no wear and tear at all except some teeny scratches on the logo plate

Hi
Have you thought about preloved mulberry. Im a massive mulberry fan but to be honest i wouldnt touch anything from them made in the last 5-7 years. (Quality nowadays is nothing like it use to be) I bought a mitzy messenger from cheshire oaks in 2013 and i use it pretty much every day since and its in amazing condition. This is its 11th year and yes its not a fashionable shape to many people nowadays but im not bothered. I had always dreamed of owing a mulberry but could never afford the price tag years ago but i was made redundant and had spare money for once to treat myself and i can honestly say its the best purchase i have EVER made. I have since sourced other oldies from ebay etc and they are workhorses for sure.
If you arent wanting preloved then i would say go for the loewe as i have heard people.say the leather is fab but i would go for the original puzzle bag as they have now modified it and ive read that its not as good...
P.s have you ever looked at coach bags there full leather bags are very good quality
Obviously i know coach is nothing like loewe in desireability
Hope you get your dream handbag

The Mulberry bag doesn’t sound like your dream bag.

The Mulberry looks quite ordinary to me, like maybe one from JL, M&S or TKMaxx.

Leather Top Handle Shoulder Bag | M&S Collection | M&S (marksandspencer.com)

I have a couple of Mulberry bags that I've had for years and still love. But the one you suggest looks like such a boring little bag, inoffensive but not anything more.
Get the Loeve. That's what you want. This Mulberry would be a waste of your money. You wouldn't be delighted with it as it is second-best.

I have a daria, two Lilly's, a bayswater backpack and an Anthony. All very much loved and used but i currently want an LV neverful. If I had a mulberry tote, as lovely as they are, I would feel I had settled and not got the bag I really wanted. I'd wait personally.

I love some Mulberrys, I have a Bayswater and two Alexa Minis, but they are the only styles I like. I love the colours and the quality.

You, OP, love the Loewe Puzzle. I agree, it's gorgeous. Save for a bit longer and buy the bag you really want. I think you might regret getting the Mulberry because it isn't what you want.

You got the wrong person clicking on your thread because i'm going to say ''buy the loewe!''.

Make it a once in a lifetime indulgence.

I got a hammock for a big birthday. I love it.

Mulberry bags are quite nice (most of them) but I don't know. Spend more or spend less!

I like Mulberry bags but not keen on that one. It's pretty boring tbh.

Definitely don't get it if it's not the bag you want. If I'm spending any more than £100 I need to love something and you don't love that.

I've got a zipped Bayswater in oxblood, and use it every day. It's wearing brilliantly, and I love it as much as the day I bought it. But I do feel a bit pissed off that it's not lined. I certainly wouldn't pay more for a bag than the £1350 that it was.

It's worth looking at the pre-loved bags on Mulberry, they often get some older limited edition ones that are lovely.

Mint Velvet do a good dupe of the Loewe Puzzle bag... would that do as an alternative?

https://www.johnlewis.com/mint-velvet-zip-top-leather-shoulder-bag/natural/p110672322

Waste of money.

Second hand or outlet are your friend.

Mulberry is nice but boring - and nobody knows the brand outside the UK.

It’s a pretty boring bag and like others have said I would rather go down the pre loved Mulberry route.

What makes a bag £2k ? I think the dented effect of the top of the Loewe bag will date quite fast. I have a vintage Mulberry messenger bag that was a 40th birthday present. I don’t use it much because it’s not a very good bag. Rigid, unlined. It’s called the Anthony, they still sell it. Around £600. By far and away the least good and comfy bag I have.

Is it the shape? It’s almost a rectangle but not quite. That would drive me mad.

My thoughts? Very expensive.
I like a naice bag but not the price of a second hand car bag. I cannot see what it will deliver as a bag for that amount of money, other than status.
I like style and quality but I'm not bothered for status. With that budget I'd buy a lovely bag and some other treats besides.

I have about a dozen Mulberry bags but gave up buying them about 10 years ago when the prices shot up and the quality went right down. My Alexa looked shabby within months but the older ones have held up brilliantly.

I'm currently using a vintage one (with the old style fabric lining) as my day to day bag. It's had years of use but still looks like new.

My 'once in a lifetime' bag was £500 and I still consider that a huge spend on a bag to hold my stuff. It's a Campomaggi, Italian leather and a work of art. A truly lovely item (to me).

I'm not saying I think you should spend the same as me...but you did ask what our thoughts were on buying Mulberry. My thoughts are that you really don't need to spend £2000 on a bag. If you want to tote a Mulberry, go for it.

I love Mulberry and have several. I have a zipped mini Bayswater I use everyday and it still looks brand new.

The Billie, dare I say it, looks old and a tad boring.

Tbh just save up for the bag you really want, you'll always feel short changed if you buy the Mulberry, if the Loewe is your first choice

The reviews on the John Lewis website are saying that the handle is held on by a magnetic padlock and that it comes undone so the bag falls off. I would look for something else tbh.
I feel your dilemma though as I’m talking myself out of an expensive bag purchase too. I’m thinking I could buy jewellery that would keep it’s value better, but I still keep thinking about the bag.