Guardian Fashion Wish List: Rachel Orme purse

Rachel Orme's beautiful Venus purse in green and cream is featured in Guardian Fashion Wish List. Great to see British designer-makers in the national press! Rachel is a regular at designer-maker fairs (see here and here) and all her purses and handbags can be bought from her website.

Rachel Orme's new website

Have a look at Rachel Orme's new website, launched this week, selling a fine selection of her range of purses and handbags.

Love the Rathbone satchel in red. Double love the Charlotte tote in basketweave embossed leather. 

All purses and bags are lined with Liberty fabrics.
Made in London

Rachel Orme, Anna P and Selina Cheong at Spirit of Christmas

Rachel Orme, Anna P and Selina Cheong design and make some of the very prettiest handbags and purses that I have found on my travels. High quality leathers and fabrics, and attention to detail are their trademarks. Many of their pieces are one-off from specially sourced leather. Here are some of their newest pieces that were on show at the Spirit of Christmas show earlier this month.

Rachel Orme - purses and iPad covers / clutches in suede and textured leathers (a lot of these products are available here)

New handbag design by Rachel Orme - zip top to keep everything safe, and zipped up pockets

Anna P - tie-dyed leather bag (bottom): SWOON

studs and patent leather from Anna P

Selina Cheong handbag - handles and long strap, very capacious like Mary Poppins' carpet bag: you might not be able to fit a hat stand in there,  but pretty much everything else

Rachel Orme handbag at Cabbages & Frocks Market, Marylebone

I spotted that handbag again by Rachel Orme at the St Marylebone Cabbages & Frocks market - tote bag in textured leather, adjustable handles so you can wear on your shoulder, and add a nice little Venus purse in cream and green. You are ready for summer.

(contact Rachel via her website for more details)

Rachel Orme at Handmade in Britain 'London A Celebration' - Oxo Tower Galleries

Make sure you go down to the Handmade In Britain 'London A Celebration' show at Oxo Galleries this weekend (open 12th & 13th May from 11am to 6pm) and seek out Rachel Orme, one of my favourite designer-makers (last blogged about here).  Rachel makes a range of handbags, purses and folio cases using very high quality leathers, some are embossed or laser-etched with floral designs. All of her pieces are lined in Liberty lawn fabrics.

These are the perfect iPad cases, available in a range of colours (that pink is actually bright pink) and lined in Liberty lawn fabrics, fastening with a small magnet. This case can also be used for documents and papers...

yellow Rathbone satchel - adjustable strap, and with strap removed can be used as a clutch

green Rathbone satchel - great for the summer

you probably can't see the texture of the leather - it has a basket-weave effect - so so smart, this bag should be on Bond Street

Venus purses and make-up bags - made from glove leather and suede

this is a white embossed leather handbag (you probably can't tell from my poor quality photo). I say again: Bond Street. Rachel told me she only made 3 of these bags, so grab one while you can.

Nothing But Navy

Rachel Orme told me about this - I love the idea of this pop-up shop selling Nothing But Navy at the Luna & Curious Annexe, 24-26 Calvert Avenue E2 7JP.
From Friday 30th March until Wednesday 4th April, 11am to 6pm.

on a spree to New York - travel essentials

My spree would not have been possible without these travel essentials - this sounds a bit like a sponsorship deal, but I really mean it: I needed bags 'n' purses to keep all my stuff safe, and what better to take than British-made things, that are beautifully handmade out of quality materials?

I also wanted to prove to myself that it's possible to travel without those v. handy but v. ugly bits of gear made out of nylon.

(1) navy Mimi Eric handbag;
(2) Mimi Teddy tote bag for guidebook, swag and waterbottle, made out of waxed cotton;
(3) an Aubrey clutch-purse by Miller & Jeeves for my passport and ticket,
(4) the most lovely well designed luggage tag I have found anywhere also made by Miller & Jeeves;
(5) a Rachel Orme Venus purse for my $$$ (reduced to just a few cents by the end of my stay);
(6) and a polka dot silk scarf from the Linen Press to keep warm against fierce aircon on the flight and brisk breezes in the first few days.

more from Rachel Orme

I have seen a lot of handbags in my time; I can conclude that not all handbags are created equal, some are more beautiful than others.  Rachel Orme's handbags (last blogged about here and here) are particularly special - Rachel specialises in the use of textured leathers and lines her bags, purses and portfolios with Liberty fabrics that are chose to compliment the colour of the leather. They are practical and pretty.

You can contact her directly via her website, or see her online shop on Not On The High Street if you want to buy any of her wares.

Purse made with delicate glove leather from Somerset - I love the detail of the pattern, and the shape of the purse which fits so well in my hand (I'm using my purse to store my camera at the moment).

Look see, lovely Liberty print lining, and useful patch pocket on the inside - which can be used for cards if you are using it as a purse.

Leather portfolio - which is large enough for A4 sheets and slim files (yesterday I had my tax return papers in it, which somehow made the whole dreaded process of submitting a tax return a bit more bearable) notebooks and pens.

Liberty lawn lining in pale sorbet colours which contrast well with the dark leather.

I have just spotted on Rachel's Not On The High Street shop this lovely Rathbone satchel

which has an adjustable strap so that it can be cross body or over the shoulder, and a nice neat stud fastening at the front - it is also available in the embossed leather (see portfolio above).

Duckie Christmas Market at the Barbican

The Barbican is hosting the Duckie Christmas Market in the Foyer from 10th to 30th December 2011- nightly 6pm to 9.30pm, and weekends 2pm - 9.30pm (check website for days that the Market is not open).

Rachel Orme hand makes these leather purses and handbags in her London studio using fine textured leathers such as this embossed leather

I love these Wee Bothies by Glenshee Potteries
For more information contact Diana MacFarlane 01250 882 238
Glensheepots@hotmail.co.uk

Michaela Willis, who will also be at the Stables Market (Camden Town), makes ceramic Christmas tree baubles and birdies
She can be contacted at michaela.19@hotmail.co.uk

Very sweet knitted cushions, toys and blankets from Sally Nencini - check out her Etsy shop for more of her creations - there is a fabulous London bus cushion

I especially love this pencil case / purse

Sarah Turner's decorative lighting from waste plastic drinks bottles

 Ulli Kaiser, guest artist at the Designer Jewellers Group (9th Nov 2011 to 6th Jan 2012)

Rachel Orme handbags

Rachel Orme, maker of handbags, uses beautiful materials for her creations: this embossed leather (in pic below) is particularly delicious; lining materials are Liberty or William Morris fabrics, or striped ticking.

Rachel has some great shopper / tote bags - both the Monmouth and Charlotte have a zipped pocket and mobile phone pocket on the inside, and the Charlotte has a magnetic closure at the top, and the length of the straps can be adjusted by the buckles.

The Monmouth (36 x 33 x 10cm), fabric from £80, leather from £140.

The Charlotte (29 x 38 x 14cm, narrowing to 7.5cm) from £190.

Interior fabric

Rachel offers a bespoke or semi-bespoke service allowing customers to choose the leather, lining and fittings - contact her via her website for more info.