Mulberry Kensington Satchel Bucket Bag Review – What Fits, How does it Look and Feel?

So I recently picked up a Mulberry Kensington Satchel / Bucket Bag secondhand for $750. I paid $0 because I used an existing credit, and was happy to find something I could use that balance on!

I had been looking for a bucket bag for a while, and while I love their shape and look of it, I know two things:

1. To keep that cute round bucket bag shape, the leather is stiff

So Mansur Gavriel makes a very cute bucket bag, but the leather based on reviews online, is very VERY stiff, and does not match up to its $$$$ price tag (around $1000?). It feels plasticky, it doesn’t really close properly with the ties (you have to knot it firmly 2-3 times and then struggle with opening it), and while it LOOKS great, it doesn’t feel great.

2. Bucket bags are a black hole

Meaning, you throw in a few things and you’re searching in there until the cows come home.

I love a good slouchy look to a bag, but prefer satchels for this style, or hobo bags.

Anyway, when I came across this hybrid of a satchel / bucket bag, where the satchel piece is that gold at the top, I started researching into it, and I was completely sold!

It is like two bags in one, and it has the bucket bag look without being too slouchy.

Mulberry
Kensington small textured-leather shoulder bag
$1,690.00

A cross between a bucket tote and a smartly structured satchel, Mulberry’s ‘Kensington’ carryall is the latest addition to the label’s iconic bag family. Perfect for off-duty days, this style is crafted from durable textured-leather. It has an internal zipped pocket and a gold frame top.

• Black textured-leather (Cow)
• Snap fastenings at drawstring top

This item’s measurements are:

• Depth 13cm
• Handle Drop 9.5cm
• Height 23.5cm
• Max. Strap Length 103cm
• Min. Strap Length 93cm
• Width 26cm

So now onto the personal reviews:

Slung across my body, it rides a little higher than I wanted. You can adjust the strap but I put it on the max length and it still looks like this. I am 5’5″.

I prefer it hanging off my shoulder, it is comfier and you can reach into it easily.

The handle is also a nice fit in your hand, and not too tiny or too big, which can be great to hook onto the crook (LOL) of your arm and still be comfortable.

For what it fits:

This is a Macbook Air 1″ and it is just the size of the bag.

Without a case (or a very slim one), I can fit it in there, but obviously the magnetic clasp and the bucket tie in the front won’t do up.

I have an 11.9″ iPad with a THICK cover on it, and it fits in there as well, same deal.

So I am putting a Magic Mousepad on the side so you can see the extra space inside the bag (the white shows the sizing of the bag and the space really well):

As you can see, the iPad fits well, it is a thick rubber case, and the other side, I can almost lay the Magic Mousepad almost flat. LOTS of space for everything.

A mini iPad would EASILY fit in here, plus all your other items. I don’t know how much you carry, but I find this is the right size – not too small and not too big.

For the actual bag itself

The bottom of the bag has little feet which is expected of a higher end bag.

The front and the back look just like this with a bucket bag kind of enclosure, and two little gold knobs at the end.

I will say that because of the gold bar across the top, it doesn’t collapse / close as tight as a “real” bucket bag, as it is more of a satchel hybrid with a bucket bag look.

The gold bar at the top stops it from closing tightly.

The inside of the bag, near the front where you can see the Mulberry logo, you can see a zippered compartment – a thick zip, enough to fit an iPhone XS Max phone (which is huge), or smaller items.

The other side has no zippered compartment, just two pockets.

This is the other side with an open pocket as you can see, by the gold bar, there is no other pocket on the other side.

I like that gold bar across the top especially because it separates out things. I could put a mini iPad or an ebook reader on one side with a small cables/gadgets bag, and the other side can hold a wallet and other items.

You can also see the magnetic snap at the top, which is on both sides to keep the bag closed (the ties don’t do anything, they’re there for looks).

This is the front of the bag:

You can see the handle is attached to the gold bar at the top, and it balances it nicely because you can hold the handle and feel it be secure that it won’t tip over or lose everything on the ground with one false move, unlike some top handles like the Céline belt bag, where you have to support the entire purse bottom on a table or on your knee to keep it stable if you have it open and are rooting through it for something.

For reference, the belt bag looks like this and you see how the handle just attaches to the back?

When you open the front flap, the entire bag just flops open, and you have to steady the bottom to reach into it.

Back to the Mulberry. The strap is thin, but not annoyingly so, it doesn’t cut into my shoulder, and has adjustments to make it shorter. I put it on the longest length in the photos above.

Here is the top view of the bag, you can see clearly how the strap fits on either side of the gold bar which is again, a great way to keep the bag steady and balanced, the top handle too… and the bucket bag parts don’t close completely but gives a look of a bucket bag.

There are also two magnets snaps on either side inside the bag at the top that helps keep the bag closed when you’re walking around.

So far, the only thing that could annoy me is that the bag doesn’t close completely so it is not a great airplane bag in that sense (the Longchamp Pliage is my go-to).

Other than that, the bag is great. A nice size, not too big or too small, and fits a TON, while keeping everything separated in two compartments, with minimal muss or fuss.

I also don’t like very loud logos, so the small little Mulberry is a nice touch. Very subtle.

The leather also feels soft, thick, and supple. Not cheap or plasticky.