Zara Tindall is always one step ahead when it comes to dressing for the races. For many years now, the wife of former England rugby star Mike has always shone at Cheltenham and Ascot, paving the way for spectator fashion everywhere. Her formula is always fail-safe and classic - an elite piece of headwear, a fabulous dress coat, and a delightful, show-stopping handbag. As a fashion editor who has been writing about royal fashion for over eight years, I have become pretty clued up on Zara's wardrobe, and one of the things that fascinates me is her love of bold handbags.
Back in 2011, Princess Anne's daughter, who was then known as Zara Phillips, attended Ladies Day at the Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival that year, and looked charmingly stylish as she watched the well-known sporting event. The King's niece wore a sleek black, double-breasted coat which had voluminous sleeves, a tie-belt, intricate buttons, and a wide-brimmed collar. She added a tweed flat cap, which was fastened with a red corsage, and tied the look together with black tights and ankle boots. Also artfully swinging from her wrist was a mini Mulberry 'Bayswater' bag in the punchiest pillar box red. What I personally love about this bag is the eye-catching patent leather effect, which is both daring and modern, which is why I think it's one of the royal's most statement items.
What makes the Mulberry 'Bayswater' so special?
Many consider the 'Bayswater' to be the epitome of practical glam due to the fact that it's a universally timeless design, crafted in beautiful leather, with a structured finish. Instantly recognisable by its signature postman lock, it's one of those bags that everyone knows - from your mum to your grandmother. Most of the brand's most famous creations are named after places in London - like the 'Bayswater', of course, and the 'Pimlico'. Some are also named after famous people, from the 'Alexa' inspired by Alexa Chung, and the Del Rey after superstar singer Lana Del Rey.
For me, as a designer bag collector, there is no bag more iconic than the 'Bayswater'. I would categorise this bag as an 'ultimate' piece of arm candy - every cool celebrity and model had one back in the day. Charlotte Staerck, Co-Founder & CEO at The Handbag Clinic, agrees. "For me, the Mulberry 'Bayswater' will always be the ultimate British icon - an 'It' bag that’s truly stood the test of time. Its traditional design and incredible quality make it so special. When I first set my sights on owning an oak 'Bayswater', it felt like the ultimate bag to aspire to - that pursuit actually became the spark behind The Handbag Clinic and my lifelong obsession with timeless handbags."