Each week, we will be looking into an exciting and innovative label that is taking the fashion world by storm in our regular feature #TheBrand. This week, we’re turning the spotlight on Scottish accessory label, Strathberry.
Specialising in statement leather handbags that come at a surprisingly affordable price point and loved by future duchess Meghan Markle, there's little surprise it is one of the most exciting brands to watch at the moment.
Here's everything you need to know about the affordable totes winning over the accessory market.
Origins
Strathberry was founded by husband-and-wife duo, Guy and Leeanne Hundleby in Edinburgh in 2013, with the aim of creating a Scottish accessories brand that had an international outlook.
“We had a passion for beautiful handcrafted leather goods and a strong interest in design,” Leeanne tells us. “On travels with our kids, we were exploring the artisanal leather regions of Spain and were inspired by the generations of craftsmanship and skills in working with leather.”
The brand has managed to distinguish itself from its competitors in the mid-range handbag market through maintaining a high level of quality in design, yet still coming in at a very accessible price point. Their recognisable silhouettes and the brand’s signature metal bar have given them an ‘It’ bag status that many affordable accessory brands have not been able to achieve.
Why is everyone talking about it?
Although the brand had established itself as a leader in the mid-range accessories market some time ago, Strathberry really came into fruition internationally in December when Meghan Markle carried one of its bags during her very first official engagement (the trip to Nottingham) since announcing her engagement to Prince Harry. The Strathberry Midi Tote (in the colour that she carried) sold out within 11 minutes of her being seen with the bag. The future duchess is clearly a big fan of the label, having carried another of the brand’s designs on her first trip to Edinburgh earlier this month.
“The response has been phenomenal and we are hoping this continues throughout 2018 and beyond. We were already beginning to take the brand internationally, and we're hopeful that following this exposure we can make some good steps forward and continue to increase awareness of Strathberry.”
Of course there has been huge interest in brands like Strathberry and The Line (the more affordable labels that Markle has vouched for) in comparison to the designer brands she has worn. The reason for this is obvious – they are more accessible to more people, but choosing them has also put small labels on the map in an unprecedented way.
“Meghan mixes high-end designers with more affordable pieces which makes her style more relatable and approachable – I think our bags compliment this and have a flexible look. It is also fantastic that she has been willing to support smaller brands and increase their brand awareness exponentially.”
View full post on InstagramHow do they explain their success?
Aside from the obvious appeal of having one of the most famous women in the world carrying your designs, Strathberry has also managed to find success due to the growing market surrounding mid-range handbags.
“I think more customers are looking for something different. You see a lot of the same bags being carried over and over again, and perhaps buyers are on the lookout for something that they’re not likely to see being carried by someone else as they walk along the street.”
View full post on InstagramIn addition to this, Hundleby thinks that being based away from one of the major fashion cities has actually benefitted them.
“It’s no bad thing to be a little removed, enabling us to focus upon what we do and not looking around too much. It’s also great to be able to develop a brand here in Scotland and to offer an alternative for those who want to work in fashion and design, but to be based somewhere a bit less frenetic. There are a lot of talented people either graduating from fashion courses up here, or who are interested in coming to Scotland. In the same way brands such as Acne in Stockholm, Golden Goose Deluxe Brand in Venice, and more recently Vetements moving to Zurich, demonstrate that you don’t necessarily need to be in one of the traditional fashion hubs to become a successful brand.”
Key pieces
If you want to follow in Markle's footsteps, we suggest you snap up the two styles she has already been spotted carrying. We'd recommend opting for a bold dash of colour in the form of the yellow East/West Mini and we also love the white Midi Tote with light blue finishes for spring.
East/West Mini, £395; Midi Tote, £455, both Strathberry
BUY THE MINI
BUY THE MIDI
What’s next?
“There is certainly a lot of development in the pipeline, so please do keep an eye out for future developments. This is hopefully only the start to our journey. There are some fantastic bigger brands doing exciting things and over time we have an aspiration to emulate the development of the likes of Marni and Loewe – big ambition we know!”
