I design and make handbags and accessories from vintage, second hand materials and add adornments which can be anything from a pearl to a toy soldier.
Once I have found a fabric I then look for pearls, buttons, sequins, safety pins, plastic toys and come up with a new kitsch design. I love that every bag is a ‘one off’ original piece of art work and that I can find inspiration in the strangest of places, such as a childs toy box or through my endless searches in charity shops.
I am particularly interested in recycling materials and love cutting up old dresses to re-use the fabric and pick up old broken jewellery from car boot sales to add interesting old beads to my handbag designs.
I studied Textiles at A level and after completing an Art Degree realised that I missed the sewing. I went back to it a couple of years ago and through my love of fashion found that I wanted to design something which could be worn and that was useful and began concentrating on handbag designs.
I work from my workshop at home in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
