‘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.
