Mulberry's value skyrockets, with a little help from Alexa Chung

Alexa Chung with the Mulberry Alexa.

The popularity of the Mulberry Alexa bag has increased the value of the fashion label by more than five times, in little over 12 months. The Somerset label saw its value go from £166 million/$267,82 million USD/€189,21 million to £1,03 billion/$1,66 billion USD/€ 1,17 billion.

Economic experts say that this success is due to expansion into Chinese and Latin American markets. However, the unbelievable demand for the Mulberry Alexa satchel is the biggest growth factor. 

The Mulberry Alexa bag comes in four different designs, together they accound for over 30 percent of the fashion label's sales. Prices for the Alexa bag, named after presenter Alexa Chung, start off at £525/$800/€650 for a Mini Alexa and go up to a few thousand Pounds/US Dollars/Euros for a large version made from ostrich leather.

The standard model, that sells for £785/$1200/€980, is sold out from Beijing to New York. Even though you can't get your hands on it immediately (or should I say thanks to its exclusivity?), Mulberry has become a fashion leader and a stock market celebrity.

The Alexa bags take five hours to make by hand. Since the increase has started to soar 60 extra manufacturing jobs have been created at the firm's factory in Somerset. Mulberry now employs 740 members of staff.

The Mulberry Alexa satchel can count many a celebrity as a fan. Sarah Jessica Parker, Rosie Huntington-Whitely and Claudia Schiffer have all been spotted with the bag. It's design was inspired by photos of Alexa Chung carrying a vintage Mulberry men's briefcase as a handbag.

The Mulberry Alexa satchel in Pumpkin Large Grain Nappa © Mulberry