Burberry’s £2,000 Cotswolds handbag hits ‘a sweet spot’ with Americans

The luxury fashion brand Burberry has said a new £2,000 handbag named after the Cotswolds has boosted sales, as the English region becomes increasingly popular with wealthy Americans. Joshua Schulman, the boss of the British brand, said its tote bags – which mix leather and the signature Burberry check – had helped drive the company’s best performance in bag sales since 2023. He said: “During Mother’s Day in North America the customer has been responding to our vintage check introductions and Cotswolds lines. We’ve hit a sweet spot on price and value for money in a luxury context.” The Cotswolds, which runs through counties including Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, have become popular with wealthy Americans, and has been referred to as the “Hamptons of England” . He said Burberry had phased out its Knight bag, which was selling at more than £2,400 for certain versions, and last year brought in the Cotswolds bags which are priced at “around and under £2,000”. Schulman – who joined Burberry in 2024 – said the shift marked a change from a focus under Burberry’s previous management on “all attention on bags and having those at pinnacle price points without recognisable brand signatures.” He added: “That strategy didn’t work.” Burberry on Thursday reported a return to full-year profits amid rising sales in the US and China. …