Hulanicki handbags - anyone bought one?

I will spend quite a lot on a bag, but they have to be (to my mind) worth it.
I have a collection of 'The Bridge' bags, which I suppose are very expensive, but they never really date, and if in good condition hold their price, there are a lot of 'Bridge' collectors out there.
At the moment I have a longing for a Mulberry 'Bayswater' in Aqua Green, but it's £995, so I think it's unlikely I'll be getting one! I did see it in a Mulberry outlet shop for £750, but still think it's an obscene amount for a handbag, so it's probably just a pipe dream!

My latest handbag was a birthday present from a friend, from TKMax. The previous 1 was from Marks and Spencer. I like them both, I chose them. I don't need an expensive bag, just ones I choose myself.

No!

I get Kipling bags. I like the range. They come in various shades. Have excellent zips and pockets. Have a hand bag I use in the UK and a round the waist bag with 4 sections that I use when abroad and a beech bag etc.

I did enjoy using leather bags when younger but the Kipling are lighter and will pack flat in one's hand luggage if one is limited to one piece of luggage when on a budget flight.

I love Nica bags; good quality non leather bags at a reasonable price and with nice linings (often buy things just because I love the linings!). Also Mat and Nat bags but they are expensive. Will not buy leather at any price, hate the smell and the fact it's come from a dead animal - yuk.

I really ❤️ the Tote ....

I got a Dune leather bag from TK Max early last year for £40. Large enough to take everything up to an A4 book and I use it everyday.

What is the point of a designer expensive bag? I just don't get the need. Far rather spend my money on something necessary.

I think handbags are like shoes - either they enthuse you & are something worth treating yourself to, or you can't see the point & just buy something practical that will do the job.

I've always loved bags (all types, not just handbags) and spent my school days drawing them and thinking about what features the perfect bag would have. I use a standard backpack as a day to day bag now - water resistant and perfect for carrying shopping and everything else hands free while wielding a walking stick and a bus pass - but I have a shelf full of "good" bags for formal occasions or an evening out, and spend longer choosing an appropriate one than I do on choosing the outfit!

However I never really "got" shoes, hated having to wear high heels in the days when that was the only acceptable option for the office and gladly adopted trainers & walking sandals as day to day wear when I retired. When I see young women tottering around in sky high heels which have cost a fortune I just think, why?

Only if I were a millionaire. It's a bag, something to carry all your junk in, that's all.

Yes, if I really wanted it and could afford it why not? I have a few Mulberry handbags which I bought when I could afford them, I can't afford another now that I'm not earning anything like as much. I feel they are almost an investment and could still sell them on eBay for several hundred pounds if I ever wanted to which I know I won't ever do. I was working in London at the time, hated the commute and used to buy them to cheer myself up!

Like the above posters, I love Tula handbags and have used them for years.

I love the soft leather that improves with age, the sizes and styles they do, and all the little interior pockets which are so useful.

The company is still running, and checking their pages have some very good discounted prices.

www.tula.co.uk/handbags/?a=b&gclid=CMLLuYarmMsCFYYIwwodrHQHVQ

Not sure whether I would spend almost £300 on a handbag, but do love soft leathery ones.

I often buy bags from charity shops and have had some really good leather ones. My DD thinks it's a horrible thing to do, she reckons they must have all belonged to 'a dead person' but that doesn't bother me, so long as they are clean and not tatty.

henbane said I think handbags are like shoes - either they enthuse you & are something worth treating yourself to, or you can't see the point & just buy something practical that will do the job.

I think you are very wise henbane!

Afraid I'm a bit smitten by both! I've only paid full price for a handbag about 3 times in my life. A special Christmas present for my Mum the first year I was working, and one for both my daughters' weddings. For more "normal" use I trawl the end of season sales, and now probably have enough handbags to see me out! But I'm sure I could be tempted by a good deal! But the most expensive bag I bought was about £125 - daughter's wedding - a Radley bag - which is rather less than the cost of the Hulanicki bag quoted in OP.

I too like Tula bags, but it's been a while since I bought one. I found that I just wrecked them really quickly as I cart so much stuff around! Though I do still have a small across body one still, it''s only big enough for purse, small wallet, small comb and a lippie really, so it hardly ever gets used!

Used to loath shoes - have short fat feet, and it used to be so difficult to find anything to fit. Over the years my shoe size has gone up - used to be size 4, but now size 6. I can't walk in heels any more (can barely walk at all actually) but have one very nice pair of black lace ups with a tiny heel for posh. Have discovered some different places to buy flat shoes from that ain't cheap if you buy full price, but just wait for the sales! I've had random men compliment me in museum shops (and me in wheelchair!) on some shoes from H by Hudson. That I got for £20 a few years ago in a sale.

Trouble is I do like to have handbags that match or tone with my shoes... So new shoes sometimes means new handbag - any excuse LOL!

Radley bought out Tula in the '90s, but Tula continues to make the bags under their own name. I love Radley, but can't afford them now. Debenhams 'The Collection' handbags are a good substitute, they do very pretty applique bags, and I have had no end of compliments on mine!

Not averse to eBay second hand either!

Never heard of these before but very taken with the tote & another on the website - the Lauren. Everyone has their own idea of how to spend their money - I always fancied a Mulberry Bayswater bag & picked one up in their outlet shop for around £400 about 5 years ago. I felt really guilty spending so much but I can honestly say it's been worth every penny as I use it nearly every day & it still looks great. I've seen lots if nice bags in TK Maxx, my daughter has a super Osprey one & I noticed a lovely Paul Costelloe one in there yesterday. Now I'm retired, even the Mulberry outlet prices - much higher than 5 years ago - would be far too much for me these days!

hey must have all belonged to 'a dead person tell her that presumably they were still alive when they were using them

which is why I like to invest in a proper leather bag every now and then.!
Mine are proper leather bags as well, but I never pay more than about £75
It is just hype and consumerism as far as I am concerned.

I am not that daft.

Well against my better nature I clocked the Peonyandmoore link (why, it smacked of advertising) and think the bronze tote is ghastly. There are so many nice tote/bucket/backpack/satchel styles out there as well as what you might call regular handbags, cross body bags and shoulder bags, I cannot imagine who would want this one.

Yes, Alea, I thought blatant advertising was banned on GN

And the bronze straps and bits look distinctly tacky to me.
Whatever pleases you, I suppose.

That tote bag is horrible!

Jalima: ...I thought blatant advertising was banned on GN

Whatever the original intent it's given rise to a discussion pro/anti bags as "investment pieces"! It would be interesting to know if those who are firmly on one side or the other of the argument take the same view of other luxury versions of necessities, like clothes: do you always buy cheap, or think it's worth paying more for something which you really like?

As I've put myself on record as a bag lady ;-) can I say that I actually liked the look of the Hulanicki bags but neither were the style of bag that I'd buy.

If a bag ( or anything else for that matter) fulfills its purpose - eg carries around life's necessities - then what on earth is the point of spending hundreds of pounds simply to be able to quote the name of some hyped-up designer.
If I'd that amount of spare cash sloshing around I'd be able to think of dozens of ways to spend it more intelligently without buying into blatant snobbery and rampant consumerism!

I love Kipling bags too. I like colour around me not boring black or neutral. Kipling bags come in many colours and styles.
Because they are lightweight treated canvas they dont weigh a ton when filled to capacity. No I dont sell them.

I think you're missing the point. Primark clothes fulfill their purpose - ie protect the wearer from the elements - but lots of people choose to spend more.

Many of us, even pensioners, can manage some level of discretionary spending, by which I mean spending money on things which are not strictly necessary but which give you pleasure. If you are in a situation where there is no room for discretionary spending this discussion may seem obscene, but if you do have some leeway in your budget, it's up to you how you use it.

That may be buying clothes, shoes or handbags because you like them, even if you could buy cheaper items which would function equally well. It may be going to the cinema every week rather than paying for a tv subscription. And so on.

I don't mean all choices should be removed (shades of Mao Tse Tung)
and if someone spends a bit more than basic prices for goods and services I understand that of course.
What I do find distasteful is this fascination with buying the 'right' designer's offerings so that a name can be dropped or displayed.
That's what I see as snobbish, consumerist and wasteful.
It's one of the reasons that young people are influenced by media and peer pressure leading to them seeing phone A as so much more desirable than phone B.
I'd hope that grownups would have more worthwhile values.

I agree about "labels" and designer tags. Such nonsense! I am reminded of the question "Who are you wearing?" To CJ in the West Wing before a black tie ritzy do, meaning "which designer".
It reaches total ridicule when people will shell out for a fake designer bag!
Incidentally and I may be risking advertising here, but if you ever have to pull into South Mimms services (A25/A1) for a comfort break check out the bag stall on the way to the loos. Oh the times I have regretted leaving my purse in the car with DH. Very reasonable and a wonderful selection.
<know what I mean, nudge, nudge, wink, wink>