The Embellished Handbag

A Celebration of 250 years of Fashion and Embroidery

‘The Embellished Handbag: A Celebration of 250 years of Fashion and Embroidery’

‘The Embellished Handbag’ was an international project in collaboration with renowned luxury accessory companies to design and produce thirteen unique bags to be auctioned for charity.

The private unveiling of the embellished bags was held at the Victoria and Albert museum in London on February 1st 2017 and they will be making appearances throughout 2017 at special VIP events before they are auctioned by Sotheby’s in December. Funds raised at the auction will be donated to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) and the H&L Prize for Embroidery. Both charities support a key Hand & Lock principle; the desire to encourage, support and mentor young and emerging craftspeople.

Embroidery as an expression of craft, creativity and collaboration is expressed beautifully on these one of a kind, uniquely embellished bags. Each one a is a fusion of the design aesthetic of Hand & Lock and the meticulous craftsmanship of each bag brand, and each bag tells a different story.

On their classic ‘1781 Woodland’, Asprey embraced true British heritage and chose intricate goldwork embroidery. Embracing the Oakleaf motif, a traditional symbol of England, they reflected upon the ancient traditions and iconography of London’s craft community.

The aesthetic of Alfie Douglas is clean and crisp minimalism, effortless looking but executed with great diligence and care. As such they chose a design that recreated the smooth finish of marble rendered in a host of complex embroidery techniques, silkshading, applique and flosswork. The finished embroidered bag is technically complex and yet gracefully simple.

Drawing inspiration from hundreds of sources, each of the thirteen bags has a unique visual identity drawing from the brand’s individual history.

Designer’s involved in the project include Agnes B, Alfie Douglas, Aspinal of London, Asprey, BVS Design, Globe Trotter, House of Holland, Jill Haber, Lost Property of London, Lulu Guinness, Patrick Cox, The Cambridge Satchel Company and Vivienne Westwood.

 The bags were auctioned in December 2017 and raised £20,000 for the chosen charities.

Asprey
LULU GUINNESS "THE KISS" This bag is an ideal marriage of Lulu Guinness’ trademark red lipstick and Hand & Lock’s traditional use of military style embroidery known as goldwork. Embodying Lulu Guiness' famous pop art style, the design combines traditional techniques and modern glamour. The reverse of the bag features a phrase written by Lulu Guinness that has been transcribed in embroidery using goldwork with alternate strands of red and traditional gold bullion, a gracious nod to the brand’s quirkiness, in harmony with the red leather. A truly iconic embroidery technique and a truly iconic British bag.
House of Holland
Agnes B
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD "TIGER" Based on the original Tiger bag from the 2001 Vivienne Westwood Collection, the elaborate tiger shape and detail of the bag is accentuated with traditional goldwork, tambour beading, and appliqued chiffon fabric. The highly textured bag uses a wide range of bullions in shades of gold, bronze and copper alongside antique gold and black silk thread. Traditional embroidery techniques applied to fabric from the original Gold Label collection makes this bag one of a kind and rich in heritage.
Globe - Trotter
Aspinal Of London
BVS DESIGN "GRAFTON" The embroidery on the bag features the majestic cheetah depicted in goldwork using graphite and grey colours. The image of the cheetah was chosen for the design to raise awareness of the cheetah’s threat of extinction, this is symbolised in the claws breaking through the material as a cry for attention to their predicament.
ALFIE DOUGLAS "MARBLE WONDER" Using ethically sourced, vegetable-tanned calfskin from Italy, Alfie Douglas creates a minimalistic, distinctive, and unisex style for this bag. The Hand & Lock embroidery reflects and evokes the feeling of marble using silk floss threads and appliqued silk.
Patrick Cox
PATRICK COX "THE ROYAL SHOPPER" Patrick Cox's iconic trademark logo, the fleur-de-lis, is featured on this simple canvas tote bag, with traditional goldwork evoking a distinct sense of opulence. With the raw functionality of the bag and the contrastingly lavish logo, linked through history with Royalty, the design celebrates timeless style and craftsmanship.
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