It's an unlikely truth that earlier this year, a £12 reusable shopping bag from Waitrose caused something of a stampede in certain parts of the country. While we're used to fashion partnerships selling at record speeds (here's looking at you, M&S x Sienna Miller and any of H&M's many successful collaborations), we didn't expect a supermarket staple to cause quite the furore it did. Designed by Lulu Guinness and featuring her famous lips motif on a checkerboard design, the tote sold faster than anyone could have expected, with bags appearing on eBay for prices far beyond the original £12 and WhatsApp groups were filled with desperate messages from people looking to get their hands on one. So, it stands to reason that the new Lulu Guinness Waitrose tote may possibly have the same sort of reaction.
Just in time for Christmas, the new tote bag is made from recycled bottles and boasts the signature lip print all over. It's the first of three items to launch in this new gifting collection – there will also be a reusable coffee cup and a drinks bottle.
Due to the overwhelming response to the last two totes – the first launched in September 2023 and 75% of all stock sold out within the first day – Waitrose even had to impose a limit of two bags per customer, such was their popularity. In June, when the second collab launched, one bag sold every four seconds. Part of the success is down to the fact that people have been choosing to use these bags for all aspects of their life – not just their weekly shop.
'I am thrilled to see our third Waitrose collaboration tote,' said Guinness in a statement. 'I always aim to ensure that each design is unique while staying true to my brand’s identity. This time, I wanted to make the design all about our iconic lips, creating a fun and cheerful print that cascades across the tote like snowflakes. I hope it adds a touch of joy to everyone's shopping experience.'
With thousands of Google searches for the bags since the last launch, it's fair to say anticipation for the new bag is high. So, if you want to get a slice of Lulu Guinness's whimsical British designs for just £15, add to basket now.
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Hannah Banks-Walker is Grazia's head of fashion commerce. She has previously written for the likes of Harper's Bazaar, The Financial Times, Glamour, Stylist, The Telegraph, Red, i-D and The Pool on everything from fashion to curly hair (hi!) to the patriarchy. Not necessarily in that order. Find her on Instagram and Twitter. But please don't look for her MySpace profile, which until now was the last time she wrote about herself in the third person.