My Mulberry Lily Bag Review In Maple Silky Calf
I have another designer bag review for you all and this time it’s on the Mulberry Lily Bag in Maple Silky Calf. I saw this gorgeous, buttery shade online in the early autumn of last year, then I went to take a look at it in the Mulberry boutique here in Bath, England, and I fell in love with the colour! I knew that this was going to be the most perfect Mulberry Lily that I could own, so I ended up selling my Oxblood Lily and my Pink Denim Lily to buy this one! And I have zero regrets.
For those of you that are not familiar with Mulberry as a brand, they were originally founded here in Somerset by Roger Saul (I interviewed him a few years ago), but got taken over by someone different, who turned Mulberry into the front runner that it is today, with iconic bag designs and heritage.
I actually bought my first ever Mulberry bag at the original Mulberry shop at Kilver Court in Shepton Mallet. It was the Alexa Clutch in Powder Sparkle Tweed, back in 2011. I can’t believe that was 12 years ago! I remember that amazing feeling of finally getting my very first Mulberry and I was so excited. I wore that bag all the time – it was my absolute favourite! I then went on to get the Mulberry Lily in Oak, which I still own, and I have worn that one so many times as well. This was back when the Lily in Oak cost around ￡495 (as I still have the price label) and now it’s ￡1050 as they still sell it – it’s a classic!
I can safely say that I have owned so many different Mulberry bags, but my favourite has always been the Lily. I did love the Mini Taylor for a while, I was obsessed with that one a year or two after the Alexa, but Lily has remained the icon that has been the front runner for me. I would always find myself reaching for it as it’s so versatile and elegant. So, now you have a little background on my love for Mulberry, lets get to my Mulberry Lily Bag in Maple Silky Calf review!
The Mulberry Lily Design & Details
The Lily by Mulberry is an effortlessly elegant style that has been in their collection since forever. It’s one of those bags that’s often chosen as an evening bag due to its versatile size and compact shape. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not suitable for the daytime, as it absolutely is. The Lily has a woven leather and chain strap that can be worn short or long as you can double it up, and is finished with some signature details such as their iconic Postman’s Lock and leather padlock fob. The features of this bag include:
- Postman’s Lock closure
- Hanging fob with hidden padlock
- Woven leather and chain shoulder strap
- One internal pocket
- Internal metal Mulberry fob
- Brass hardware finish
- Microsuede interior lining
The bag itself is a soft rectangular shape that has a flap that comes over the top to open and close. The sides squash in as the leather is really supple, and it creates a really feminine, and soft shape. The chain is attached by two metal loops at the top of the bag, which allows you to wear it longer, or doubled up for a shorter on the shoulder look. The oval metal plaque that features the postman’s lock is iconic to Mulberry, with their little Mulberry tree logo above. I would say that the design of this bag is beautiful. They have absolutely perfected it! It even comes in a mini and medium size as well.
The Maple Silky Calf Leather
So this is made from a smooth calf leather with a very fine grain, which gives it a soft, silky touch. The leather has a light finish and a soft smooth surface, giving it that Silky Calf name. It really does feel like butter! There’s so many issues lately with other brands like Chanel etc. having quality problems and using bad leather, so it’s nice that you wont see this with Mulberry. Their leather is exceptional.
The Maple colour is absolutely stunning as well! I don’t know if I can narrow it down and tell you exactly what shade it is, but it’s a combination mixture of beige, blush, cream, and a very pale toffee shade. It’s got warm, pink undertones, but is also entirely neutral. It’s one of the most incredible neutrals I have seen. So many times the beige and neutral tones are yellowy or orangey in their undertones, so it’s so nice to see pink undertones like this as it works perfectly with my skin tone! It’s an incredible colour!
The Mulberry Lily Size
The size of this bag is as follows: height 17cm, width 21cm, and depth 9cm. The chain strap drop is 29cm and the strap length itself is 119cm. This makes it a perfect size for carrying all your essentials, but not too big at the same time. It’s just right for me without overwhelming my frame. Like I said earlier, they do have a mini version (which is quite small), but the other most popular size is the medium (it’s a lot wider) as sometimes you just need a bit more room. I personally love the classic size here – it’s ideal. You can check this Mulberry Lily bag guide for sizes.
Sustainability & Manufacturing
This is something that I feel very strongly about lately and I am really proud to be able to say that Mulberry is at the forefront for this! This particular bag is made in England in their skilled workshop (which is incredible) and the brand is leading the way with sustainability! They offer lifetime repairs with an inventory of pieces that go back 30 years so you can always have original pieces put on your bag. They are made to last, they also have a buy back scheme and a pre-loved shop section!
The Mulberry Lily Price & My Overall Opinion
When I purchased this bag it was ￡995, however they just had a price increase and it’s now ￡1095. Designer brands do this every year, so that’s normal. Like I said, my original Lily in Oak was ￡495 and that was back in 2011 or 2012. So the price increase is quite a lot when you look at it like that. However, it’s much smaller than Chanel price increases! Those are insane! If you’re looking for a high quality leather bag though and don’t want to shell out the higher end price tags, I definitely recommend Mulberry!
My overall opinion of this bag is a super positive one! As you can tell. I am still going to talk about the wearability of it and how you can wear it below, but I do definitely give it a 10/10. I have nothing negative to say about the Mulberry Lily as I’ve loved it for over 14 years, and now that I have the Maple Silky Calf, it’s my new favourite as it’s the most perfect colour! I love the updated microsuede lining as well, it’s really soft and nice! And the gold shade of the hardware is so complementary to the Maple leather. I 100% recommend this bag to you without hesitation!
Wearing The Lily With A Long Strap
There are 4 ways to wear this bag and these are the two ways with the chain worn long. Obviously you can do the classic crossbody that most of us love, or you can hang it off of one shoulder. My favourite with the long chain is crossbody as it’s so easy to wear like this, and the perfect size to sit at the front of your hips. I am 5ft 4 and a UK dress size 8 up top, and a 10 on the bottom for reference.
Wearing The Lily With The Chain Doubled Up
When you double the chain up, you can wear it shorter. My personal favourite way to wear it overall is with the chain doubled up and on my shoulder, as it’s so elegant and feminine! I pretty much always wear the Mulberry Lily this way, but you can of course carry it by hand like this or on the crook of your elbow. It’s one of the most versatile bags in ways that you can wear it, to work for daytime and nighttime. Plus, coupled with this neutral shade, it matches everything that you have in your closet! Absolute perfection!
