Mimi Berry at John Lewis, Oxford Street

Back in February I went to see Mimi launch her Spring Summer 2013 range at John Lewis Oxford Street.
Here are some of Mimi's team hard at work making the Eric bag which this season comes in deep pink, marine blue, dove grey and citrine yellow. I love the orange angle poise lamp perched on the work bench.

Mimi Berry at John Lewis, Oxford Street: Febuary 9th

Mimi Berry's new SS13 collection will soon be available from John Lewis on Oxford Street, oh happy happy days. So, when I go to the Mother Ship to buy a 3 pack of grey school tights and a new bath mat, I can also satisify my desire for a good quality, made in the UK, handbag too.

Mimi and her team will be at the flagship John Lewis store on Saturday 9th Febuary from 10am to 2pm with their studio workbench and tools doing a little demo of their bag making skillz and talking about their designs.  A free keyring is offered to the first 30 people who buy handbags - which can be monogrammed if you want.

Here are some of the new purses for this season in sunny yellow and bright pink.

A visit to Brighton: Age of Reason scarves, Alexa de Castilho jewellery and St Leonards leather bags and purses

A visit to Brighton...

...to the Age of Reason studios a stunning high ceilinged work place, lit up with candles for an afternoon sample sale.

 I am huge fan of Ali's work (blogged about here and here). I love her free flowing drawings, her naughty sense of humour and her choice of colours: vibrant pinky corals, dashes of orange and soothing, flattering greys. I had to visit her sample sale not only to check out her wares, but to see her beautiful studio. I see tantalising glimpses of on Instagram; it did not disappoint and it was lovely to see it in candle-light.

Some Age of Reason scarves and pocket squares

St Leonards leather bags made in simple classic shapes from bridal leather in the most lovely colours (below is green, and white).  These bags are gorgeous.

Alexa de Castilho jewellery: gold, silver, bronze, vintage, skulls, fangs. The first time I have seen Alexa's jewellery, and it is *love*

End of a lovely day *sigh*

Maiko Dawson - shoes, bags and purses

Maiko Dawson, who I saw at MADE London in October (where I met Holly Berry, Sarah Elwick and Catriona Faulkner) and Handmade in Britain last week makes shoes, bags and purses in a rainbow of colours that look as tasty as macarons.  Her website shows her full range of products, and you can contact her directly to buy them.

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

Mimi's new collection Autumn Winter 2012

Purely for research purposes (um yeah) I went to take a peek at Mimi's new collection last week, and here are my favourites for AW12. In recent times Mimi's collections have become increasingly desirable, what with their pleasing shapes, top quality leathers and nice ticking linings.  So now there is not just one but many bags that you'd happily sling over your arm.

Mimi uses is very high quality leather: hard leather which softens and develops a lovely shiny patina; and a softer grainy leather which she uses in a rainbow of colours, some of which are metallic. Mimi's bags are hand made in a number of small workshops around the UK.

This Gracie purse is a classic: new for this season are metallic colours (below is plum, also available in sapphire a dark metallic blue and bronze, as well as a range of other colours). It has a brilliant design: kiss class, granny stylee, at the top. Inside enough room to stash huge numbers of credit cards / loyalty cards, mobile phone, keys. And a zipped up section along the bottom for coins.

 Another couple of Mimi classics: Eric on the left which took the handbag world by storm last season, and Peggy on the right

 Eric in pruna, a sort of squashed damson colour- this bag can fit the essentials, but not big enough for an iPad. Frank is the larger version of this bag - also made of hard leather with turnlock catch.

 New for this season is the most fantastic tote bag Gorgeous Spike in grainy aqua leather - extremely tempting: it's a good size, not too big so it can't be overloaded. Great handle / straps arrangement: over the shoulder strap and handles.

Some old favourites: Zermatt weekender

Classic Baggins in oilskin

Susannah Hunter on Lamb's Conduit Street

 

Back in June, I went to visit Susannah Hunter on Lamb's Conduit Street - tucked away in Bloomsbury in the area between Grey's Inn and Great Ormonde Street, it is home to little boutiques, restaurants and cafes and Susannah's shop where she sells her creations: leather handbags appliqued with floral designs. All of her creations are designed and made on the premises.

I love her classic daisy design, which pops up every so often in her collections

trunk o' bags - the trunk is also decorated, with irises 

Susannah's bags cost £££ - start off your collection with something smaller and more affordable: an iPad or Kindle cover

rolls of leather in a rainbow of colours

detail of a screen

furnish your home with Susannah's church chairs

these bags are the perfect way to tote around your kid's toys when you are out and about

Selina Cheong handbags

I need a bag that can fit all my papers for work, two double decker buses, and other essentials.

Selina Cheong's creations are just the ticket. Softest leather, nice 'n' roomy, zipped compartments (which I prefer to magnetic closure), and great colours. This bag, modeled by Selina, would be perfect for work.

(pink bag in the foreground by Anna P.)

The handles on Selina's bags are fringed, and very comfortable to hold

Anna P. at Handmade in Britain 'London A Celebration' Oxo Galleries

I met lovely Anna P. yesterday at the Handmade in Britain event 'London A Celebration'. Having worked in the fashion industry for some time for high street brands, Anna P enrolled on a course to learn about construction and pattern-cutting and she now creates bags, using vintage fabrics - this one below reminds me of a watercolour. I especially like these bags which have the vintage-style frame, and she makes totes too.She can make bespoke items using a favourite fabric, contact her via her website for more info.

London A Celebration is at the Oxo Galleries on the Thames, open today and tomorrow from 11am to 6pm.