Mulberry opened their first two Canadian stores recently. The British company, founded in 1971, is known for their luxury leather craftsmanship. Rural English references in their designs results in an aesthetic they define as ‘Le Style Anglais.

“Toronto is a key location in Mulberry’s North American expansion,” says Carl Barbato, President of Mulberry USA. “With the country’s expanding luxury market and consumer base, creating a strong presence in Canada is the next natural step for Mulberry.”

Toronto is the lucky home for the stores found on Bloor Street West and the powerhouse Yorkdale Mall. Before opening in Toronto, I didn’t have much hands on experience with the brand. I’ve posted about their sweater craftmanship before and I’ve seen some of their bags in Holt Renfrew. Shortly after the opening, I was invited to check out the Bloor Street location to get to know the brand.

The Mulberry store finishing is beautiful. Designed by British architects, Universal Design Studio they use timber, limestone and oak as features to complement Mulberry’s dedication to craftsmanship and luxury. Both stores carry Men’s and Women’s leather goods as well as Womens ready to wear. Mulberry fans will be glad to know that IT bags Bayswater, Alexa, Del Rey and the gorgeous Willow will be available for purchase in Canada.

Touching the Mulberry leather goods just reinforced how beautiful they are in person. I’ve always liked their classic styles and they would make for a great investment bag. I’m a sucker for brands that take their craftsmanship heritage very seriously. Check out this post about how they construct the Willow handbag.

One of the lovely Sales Associates had me trying on Mulberry coats from the Fall 2013 ready to wear collection. I love playing dress up in things I really can’t afford! The Made in Italy ready to wear collection is very pretty with intricate embroidery and complex prints. Even the buttons are special. I’m also now in love with Mulberry shoes and the Bow High Heel Pump is my obsession.

You can see more photos from my trip to Mulberry including multiple handbag shots in the gallery below.

Mulberry in Toronto can be found at the following locations:
131 Bloor Street West
Toronto

Yorkdale Shopping Centre
3401 Dufferin Street
Toronto

images: courtesy of Mulberry, me