In recent years, there has been a revival of archival Noughties It-bags – the Chloé Paddington was back on the runway (modelled by Alexa Chung no less) and Balenciaga re-released its City bag, which was first launched by Nicolas Ghesquière in 2001. It’s not just about shiny relaunches, however, as many of these trends are actually starting off with a surge in interest on resale sites. Plus, many customers are purposefully opting for original It-bags in good to fair condition, with a worn-in look that makes it appear like an old treasure you’ve pulled from the back of your wardrobe.
And the Bayswater is the latest bag to witness a revival. To mark the brand’s 55th anniversary earlier this year, Mulberry launched a limited-edition capsule collection featuring 55 one-of-one bags made from surplus and sample materials found in the Mulberry archives. Ranging from nostalgic leopard print and pony hair to metallics and shiny embossed crocodile, all the bags sold out in under 10 minutes.
A Mulberry handbag has always been an emblem of British craftsmanship – it all started on founder Roger Saul’s kitchen table in Somerset in 1971, and half of its handbags are still produced in factories in the county, with a commitment to traditional techniques and British production. Although it has an extensive line-up of handbags, we would argue that the Bayswater is the UK’s original It-bag – when it launched in 2003, it quickly became aligned with the nation’s It-girls, worn by the likes of Kate Moss and Alexa Chung.
