Not Seeing the Park for the Mulberry Trees

In order to avoid any more shopping temptations, I went running around Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens today. You would think that I would be safe from any retail urges there. Apparently not. Outside the Orangery in Kensington Gardens, I saw a giant statue of a lioness or some form of charismatic megafauna proudly wearing a Mulberry branded sash. As there were marquees set up outside the restaurant, I assume this was part of the oft-talked-about Mulberry party for London Fashion Week.

I stood there stretching for a few moments in my soggy, muddy running kit, pondering the odds of someone coming outside, deciding that I was exactly the kind of person they wanted to promote their brand and handing me a free medium Mitzy Hobo. Far slimmer than many of the celebrities whose matchstick arms are often adorned with a Mulberry handbag, I decided. Perhaps if I had been more appropriately dressed and carrying my Mulberry handbag, I would have had the guts to sneak a bit closer to find out what was going on. As it was, I just stood watching, wistfully, for a while before carrying on with my run.

So what'll it be next? A giant Mulberry ad on the platform of my local Tube station? Mulberry trees planted along my street? Gah...