Lock Down Your Autumn Look With Mulberry's Amberley Bag

To celebrate the start of the new season, Refinery29 has teamed up with luxury British fashion brand Mulberry to style the biggest AW17 trends. Strutting around the brutalist architecture of London's National Theatre, we embraced the colder weather, donning our favourite pieces, from cord skirts to two-piece suits.

A highlight from the brand's latest collection? Meet the Amberley bag. A celebration of Mulberry's heritage, there are five members of the family, ranging from the satchel to cross-body, via the carry-all hobo edition. In varying finishes and colours, the Amberley reinvents Mulberry's classic British style for 2017 – just in time for autumn. Its hero is the sleek Rider's Lock, a new signature hardware feature inspired by Mulberry’s iconic Postman’s Lock that offers a stylish nod to equestrian styling.

Autumn is my favourite season, I get mesmerised by the colours and masses of crunchy fallen leaves, but you'd never know it from my black, white and navy wardrobe. The elements of my autumn look are always casual (trainers, T-shirts, trousers) but the silhouette is smart, so a well-cut coat and an elegant bag to show I mean business. A Vogue stylist once told me that all you need is a good bag, a good coat and a good pair of shoes to look the part, and I've kept to it.

The Amberley Satchel in zig-zag print is the perfect colour palette for autumn. I only do colour in flashes, like the rust on the bag and orange lettering of my T-shirt – that's more than enough excitement for one day.

I have around 30 pairs of trainers, and 10 are plain white – I like plain things, okay! Mulberry’s Jump Fringe trainers are my kind of quiet confidence with removable fringe detailing that looks like white lace.

My style is consistently low-key and dark, so I like/need to mix it up with overtly beautiful accessories like a statement bag, to sharpen the image.

Nothing makes a statement quite like a trouser suit. Whether it's in a neutral colour or something a little louder, a good suit has the ability to totally transform the way I feel; it immediately commands attention. Those in the know will tell you that you’ll never feel better or more confident than in a tailored two-piece.

Fortunately suits were all over the AW17 catwalks, and I fell in love with this Mulberry number the second I laid eyes on it. The double-breasted cut nipped in at the waist feels inherently feminine and powerful. What better way to show you mean business?

Comprised of the Joanne trousers and Grace jacket, this checked wool suit channels Isabelle Huppert, one of my all-time style crushes, who knows a thing or two about making sharp, masculine tailoring into the height of elegance. I paired it with some Mulberry velvet rust Mary-Jane platforms to accentuate the cigarette structure of the trousers. And to inject a bit of flirtiness, I added a camisole underneath rather than a shirt. I chose a black silk-satin one from NK iMODE to soften the look.

Mulberry’s oak Amberley bag was the ideal accessory, its classic silhouette complementing the chic tailoring. The single earring added a little bit of edge. Surely Isabelle would approve?

Everything about winter sends chills down my spine; having to bundle up in tights, knits, coats and gloves just isn't my idea of fun. That's why this season I couldn't be happier to don the high hemlines that are carrying over from summer as we slide so quickly from Aperol Spritz to mulled wine. Each winter I'll try and wear bare legs for as long as I can, as that first day of battling with catchy, claustrophobic tights in the morning is the epitome of the winter blues.

To keep the micro-mini seasonal (and warm), I'll go top-heavy with oversized sweatshirts and hoodies and finish with touches of minimalist jewellery. As a contrast to slouchy sweats, it's nice to occasionally push aside the trainers in favour of heeled boots. These are Mulberry's Buckle Bootie in midnight velvet – everything about them screams 'Take me home and wear me all winter long'. And the best bit: a mini Amberley satchel that's so perfectly formed it's the ideal excuse to leave your worldly possessions at home for once and carry just the bare essentials.

The tights are staying firmly at the back of the drawer for now.

I’m quite a tomboy dresser, particularly in the colder months when floaty dresses are the last thing on my mind. So if I do decide to wear a skirt I’d typically pair it with a slouchy, oversized jumper or tailoring for a look that’s not overtly 'feminine'. I know cardigans and knitwear don’t sound like the sexiest items in your winter wardrobe but they’re a huge trend for AW17, from chunky cable knits and cardis to statement XL silhouettes. I love the muted colours of this Mulberry cosy oversized knit, which I’d wear with denim and ankle boots by day and a skirt or tailored trousers by night, bunching the baggy sleeves to show off lots of gold rings.

I’m pretty thrilled about the comeback of corduroy for AW17 and I can imagine living in this Mulberry dusty pink skirt all winter. Just as velvet was the texture of last season, you’ll see all your favourite dressers wearing cord over the coming months. I’m trying to hunt down the perfect pair of cord flares, too…

And, like the majority of fashion editors, I live in black and navy hues but like to add a bit of drama to monochrome outfits with a flash of colour, like this gold ochre Amberley bag or the purple Zara platforms (I’m 6ft tall but I always say go high or go home). Truth be told, I’m not the biggest clothes shopper but all my money goes on bags and shoes, which can transform the most casual outfit immediately. This bag is a gorgeous statement piece but also just the right size to fit in everything I carry around with me every day.

This season, my love affair with florals isn't going anywhere. While it played out through vintage midi dresses during the summer months, for autumn/winter I'll be donning floral skirts and layering up with roll-necks, classic knitwear and faux fur coats. Mulberry's pleated Susannah skirt is a red-brick shade, meaning it works perfectly with a staple navy fisherman's knit. The iridescent silk finish brings a slice of the party to my everyday workwear, too.

I've paired the knit and skirt with the Regent Safety Pin Loafers, also known as The Best Loafers I've Ever Seen. The mother of pearl and rabbit head safety pins add to the elegance of the look, but the squared toes remind me of the chunky shoes I owned back in the ‘90s. Super comfortable, I’ll be wearing these all autumn long, paired with some sparkly socks.

But the pièce de résistance? The Amberley Hobo bag in gold ochre. Putting the final touches on my off-kilter feminine get-up, the shape is reminiscent of a bag Jane Birkin would’ve carried in the ‘70s. For the practical-minded among us, I love the removable front pocket, which becomes a cute cross-body bag for busy days rushing around London. Plus, the rust shade brings a pop of colour to an otherwise dreary British winter.