What’s happened to Mulberry leather?

GillianAnnie

GillianAnnie

Member
Dec 28, 2012
598
23
#1
Hello everyone

I’ve not posted on here for years so probably very out of the loop on recent trends, but after a long time I found myself back in the market and craving something in oak, a colour I’d very much dismissed previously. I ordered two bags and two purses all in the same natural oak leather, but when they arrived I was totally shocked that I hated them all on sight. The leather seems stiff and artificial, even the colour is not as I expected it to be, so they got repackaged and sent straight back.

I’m a fan of Mulberry and own several, my current favourites being my beautiful chocolate Antony and black glossy goat Bayswater, both with divine leather. I really want to own something in oak but if this leather is my only choice, I’m afraid I might have to look at another brand (I also own two Coach bags which I adore)

Can anyone shed any light on this please or if you own a newer oak Mulberry can you tell me if the leather improves with age.

Thank you in advance.
 
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#2
GillianAnnie said:
Hello everyone

I’ve not posted on here for years so probably very out of the loop on recent trends, but after a long time I found myself back in the market and craving something in oak, a colour I’d very much dismissed previously. I ordered two bags and two purses all in the same natural oak leather, but when they arrived I was totally shocked that I hated them all on sight. The leather seems stiff and artificial, even the colour is not as I expected it to be, so they got repackaged and sent straight back.

I’m a fan of Mulberry and own several, my current favourites being my beautiful chocolate Antony and black glossy goat Bayswater, both with divine leather. I really want to own something in oak but if this leather is my only choice, I’m afraid I might have to look at another brand (I also own two Coach bags which I adore)

Can anyone shed any light on this please or if you own a newer oak Mulberry can you tell me if the leather improves with age.

Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...
Anyone?...
 
#3
GillianAnnie said:
Anyone?...
Click to expand...
Hi - I remember someone posting about the leather change previously. Oak NVT is a very organic looking finish and some buyers had quibbles with how it could get stained and how bags had different textures. People often posted on here about returning multiple bags because they wanted a perfect leather - expensive for Mulberry and not great customer experience.
Personally I liked NVT for that exact reason, it was all unique. But more buyers prefer uniformity and better water resistance now, so new oak bags are mostly Natural Grain which is printed.
You may still be able to get some old style leather bags at the outlets.
 
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#4
GillianAnnie said:
Hello everyone

I’ve not posted on here for years so probably very out of the loop on recent trends, but after a long time I found myself back in the market and craving something in oak, a colour I’d very much dismissed previously. I ordered two bags and two purses all in the same natural oak leather, but when they arrived I was totally shocked that I hated them all on sight. The leather seems stiff and artificial, even the colour is not as I expected it to be, so they got repackaged and sent straight back.

I’m a fan of Mulberry and own several, my current favourites being my beautiful chocolate Antony and black glossy goat Bayswater, both with divine leather. I really want to own something in oak but if this leather is my only choice, I’m afraid I might have to look at another brand (I also own two Coach bags which I adore)

Can anyone shed any light on this please or if you own a newer oak Mulberry can you tell me if the leather improves with age.

Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...
 
#5
I too have received something in Oak that will be packaged up and sent straight back to Mulberry. I’m hugely disappointed in the leather of my SBS, it looks fake and has no leather smell at all, but mostly it’s the PU look of the inside of the bag. The stitching also is no longer that pretty, contrasting colour, and this I think only increases the chances of a very expensive bag (still £626 in the sale) looking nothing more than a fake bought off your summer holidays!

I am now contemplating the Coach sale as their leathers do look lovely.
 
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#6
Ah ok, it makes a bit more sense now I realise that Mulberry are responding to customer demands of better water resistant leather. I do think it’s a shame as I also like the organic non uniform, unique style of ‘natural’ as opposed to ‘assisted natural’ which seems to be the current approach. Luckily I live within 5 minutes of Cheshire Oaks so can visit the outlet whenever I want. Maybe I will check out what they have before the actual natural leather disappears forever.
 
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#8
The new leather is also more rigid and seems to suit the larger styles they're making. For me the bigger disappointment is microfiber lining - suede will always smell and feel better to me. I'm glad they've dialled back the microfiber use.
 
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#9
GillianAnnie said:
Hello everyone

I’ve not posted on here for years so probably very out of the loop on recent trends, but after a long time I found myself back in the market and craving something in oak, a colour I’d very much dismissed previously. I ordered two bags and two purses all in the same natural oak leather, but when they arrived I was totally shocked that I hated them all on sight. The leather seems stiff and artificial, even the colour is not as I expected it to be, so they got repackaged and sent straight back.

I’m a fan of Mulberry and own several, my current favourites being my beautiful chocolate Antony and black glossy goat Bayswater, both with divine leather. I really want to own something in oak but if this leather is my only choice, I’m afraid I might have to look at another brand (I also own two Coach bags which I adore)

Can anyone shed any light on this please or if you own a newer oak Mulberry can you tell me if the leather improves with age.

Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...
The NEW designer happened!! Come and join us on the Coach forum Mulberry is.deceased
 
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#10
elvisfan4life said:
The NEW designer happened!! Come and join us on the Coach forum Mulberry is.deceased
Click to expand...
Haha oh dear, it seems you’ve fallen out of love with Mulberry. Yes, I do like Coach very much but my heart won’t let go of Mulberry just yet, so today I took myself to the outlet and purchased a lovely oak Lily in NVT, before they discontinue the leather for the new ‘hardwearing water resistant’ leathers (as told to me by the store assistant. That said, I won’t ever be in the market for some of the new wacky handbags that are currently offered on the Mulberry website. I’m not cool or trendy enough for those.
 
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#15
I was a fan of Mulberry for about 30 years and moved on because of all the changes. I haven't bought a Mulb since the re-branding of the logo, the replacement of suede linings with microfibre :facepalm: at this time the leathers started to change and became lighter, developing what in my opinion is a plasticky look.
I don't think the problem is NVT leather but what they've done with all their leathers and the finish on the latest version of NVT. If you look back a few years on this forum you'll find plenty of posts from horrified fans!

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with Mulberry, just that they are very different now and not recognisable as the brand they used to be.....they have new followers but most of the traditionalists have stuck with their older bags or moved to other brands.

If you want a traditional Bays in NVT you could get a pre-loved, they're are several recommended re-sellers listed on the shopping forum.
Lovely one on LMW
https://labelsmostwanted.co.uk/prod...ned-leather-heritage-classic-bayswater-bag-2/
and NPN usually have a good choice of Mulberry.
 
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