Marks and Spencer has been quietly smashing it lately when it comes to cool, fashion-forward pieces that seriously rival much pricier brands. When I popped into their newly revamped Oxford Street store recently, there were plenty of things that caught my eye, but one bag in particular made me stop and do a double-take. It looked uncannily like a bag from a trendy brand I’ve had my eye on for ages. The bag in question is a slouchy faux-leather style that can be worn as a cute handbag or a cross-body, thanks to a clip-on, extendable strap. At first glance, it’s just a pretty sage green handbag, but because I’d been lusting after a bag from the Spanish brand Ölend for a while, I immediately spotted the similarities.
Now, for the uninitiated, Ölend is a Barcelona-based brand specialising in high-quality, handmade backpacks and bags, which the brand says are designed to be both stylish and practical. They’re probably best known for their puffy Ona Soft Bag, with brands like Uniqlo going on to produce somewhat similar designs. More recently, though, it’s their Dumpling bag that’s really caught my attention, especially after doing the rounds on Instagram and TikTok.
The Dumpling is the kind of bag that can easily take you from day to night, made from vegan faux leather, that the brand claims has been designed to be scratch-resistant and water-repellent. While M&S doesn’t specify these exact details, both bags are made from a similar smooth, shiny faux leather material that gives them a polished look.
And while the Dumpling bag comes in a choice of 15 colours, it was the sage that really stood out to me. The Marks and Spencer bag comes in a strikingly similar shade of sage green (though it is perhaps a little bit darker). It adds a pop of colour without being loud, and it’s subtle and unfussy enough to work with most outfits already in your wardrobe.
The biggest difference, for me, comes down to price. While the Ölend bag is £87 full price (currently on sale for £78), the M&S bag comes in at just £36. That’s a pretty hefty saving of £51.
There are some differences in shape: the M&S version appears slightly roomier, while the Ölend bag has a longer silhouette. I’ve already taken my M&S bag from a full day of shopping straight into an evening dinner with friends, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much it could hold while still looking chic.
It easily fits my phone, purse, keys, sunglasses and lip products, and with a bit of rearranging, I’ve managed to fit a book inside on longer commute days. I’ve even squeezed my water bottle in there, which always feels like a win.
That said, both bags share a soft, slouchy silhouette with a gathered top that makes them feel a little more elevated. They also both feature adjustable knotted straps that are part of the design but still practical. With the more expensive brand, the straps can be adjusted to get the crossbody length exactly how you want it. On the M&S bag, the knotted straps are there to control how gathered you want the top of the bag to be.
Where the M&S bag really shines, and arguably has a slight edge over the pricier option, is its versatility. You can use the top straps to create an elegant, slouchy handbag, or clip on the extra strap for a cross-body option. With the Ölend bag, adjusting the strap results in longer tassels hanging at the sides.
For me, that makes the M&S bag a dependable, everyday hero that genuinely works from day to night.
