20 Years Of The Bayswater, The Mulberry It-Bag Beloved By The Indie Sleaze Generation

The Mulberry Bayswater was perhaps the original “ludicrously capacious” tote. A hit upon its release in 2003, in addition to being the handbag every posh girl at your uni wore (or wanted), the bag quickly became a favourite of the indie sleaze generation, carried by the likes of Kate Moss – whose own Bayswater featured in the Bags: Inside Out V&A exhibition in 2020 – and Lily Allen in the Noughties. It even made a cameo in Gossip Girl.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the beloved Bayswater – named after the West London neighbourhood – which became Mulberry’s first It-bag and was credited with turning around the financial fortunes of the British brand. It remains a bestseller to this day.

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The Bayswater has had various makeovers over the years, with scaled down, zipped and clutch versions all hitting shelves. But it remains instantly recognisable thanks to that signature Postman’s Lock closure. Mulberry is marking the anniversary with three new styles – the compact East/West Bayswater, the North/South Tote, and the Zipped Bayswater Tote – as well as a new campaign starring model of the moment Alva Claire.

According to the brand, the bag has found a new generation of fans in Depop and vintage-obsessed Gen Z-ers, who have been snapping up preloved Bayswater bags via resale sites and The Mulberry Exchange, an in-house initiative that extends the lifespan of Mulberry products. Those that are buying new can still be confident they’re shopping consciously – not only is the Bayswater an investment piece, Mulberry has been crafting them from “carbon neutral” leather.

As the British classic turns 20, rediscover some original fans below.