The handbag is a girl’s best friend. A microcosm of our life split into compartments, it’s a fashionable extension of our personality. Accordingly, we seek a model that reflects our unique style, just like the rest of our outfit. However, in a culture celebrating ‘It’ bags, individuality seems elusive and quality is often lacking. For handbag brand Milo & Saint, the solution was simple: distinctive, eye-catching designs, crafted with long-lasting, luxurious materials. A handbag that looks good and lasts. And unlike many big-name brands, it’s made in England.
Creative director Lucy Holland-Smith, founded Milo & Saint in 2007. Previously a marketing expert, Lucy’s background has no doubt benefited the brand. Starting to capture the attention of fashion circles, it nonetheless remains relatively new. However, Milo & Saint exudes the gravitas of a well-established, beloved British brand. From carefully chosen handbag names to selected, sturdy leathers, Milo & Saint seems like a Mulberry-equivalent in the making. Yet, the newcomer’s look and feel is very different: Italian antiqued glazed leather, coupled with a colour selected from the latest season’s tones. Other style-signatures include box pleats, internal and external zips, detachable shoulder straps and key rings. Craftsmanship and luxury in-mind, price points (£340+) seem carefully considered.
Italian design features aside, Milo & Saint radiates charm in the way only quintessentially English brands can. Each handbag is lovingly handmade in Milo & Saints’ workshop and named after a nearby London street. From ‘The Franklin Tote in Cocoa’, or ‘The Drayton in Jet’, city-inspired styling is evident, yet rural England doesn’t seem far away. With an indulgently warm finish and quaint motifs including antique clocks, their handbags would look as elegant on a country stroll as in the city-centre. With my suspicion that Milo&Saint is a brand to watch for 2011 and beyond, one of their handbags is well worth the investment.
The Chantry Clutch in Steel
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You can discover more at www.miloandsaint.com
Kate Ingram is a freelance fashion/lifestyle journalist, based in London. You can follow and contact Kate via her blog, City Girl Diaries (EC1).
