When is a bag not a bag? Ok, that’s a silly question, but there are bags and there are BAGS. There are the ‘I just picked this up in tesco because I needed something a bit bigger to squeeze that extra tub of cheerios/bottle of vodka in’ kindof bags and there are the type of bags that you clandestinely show your BFF, talking about it in hushed tones because you can’t quite believe you own something so awesome.
It may not shock you to hear that at F+H I strive to make the second kind of bag. A supermarket/amazon/’insert other large scale bag manufacturer here’ bag is functional. It fits a purpose. But it doesn’t bring you joy. It doesn’t make your toes curl or give you a wee shiver when you put it on, anticipating the comments and questions you KNOW you are going to get about it. It is the chardonnay of handbags – you will buy it because it’s there but noone really enjoys it. Let me tell why a Freckle + Hide bag is Dom Perignon of handbags.
For a start, Freckle + Hide bags are handmade in Scotland. Not partially handmade in another country, imported and ‘finished’ here but designed, cut, stitched, burnished and polished in my home studio just outside Edinburgh. My bags are so Scottish they drink whisky and own a ‘see you Jimmy’ hat. Buying a bag from me means you are supporting the local economy and a kick-ass women led business in a oner! Win, win.
But it’s not about what it does for me that’s important, it’s what it does for YOU that matters. As independent women, we wear what makes us feel good. Our clothes, shoes and accessories show who we are to the world. They are like the blurb of a book giving people a wee summary of what they will find when they take a look inside. You want something that looks fabulous and makes you feel like a rockstar. And nothing will do that quite like having something that no one else has. My bags are as unique as you are.
There is no chance of Beryl from HR owning the same bag as you because my bags are made from OLD SOFAS!! The leather is reclaimed and upcycled. Moisturised and massaged and transformed as if by magic. As the leather matures, the uniform blandness it had when it left the factory transfigures and it develops a character all of its own so no two bags are ever the same. The added bonus is that by buying a F+H bag, you have helped save a sofa from ending up in landfill so not only do you have something more strokable than a basket of puppies, you are doing your bit for the environment too.
BUT ( I have saved the best bit for last!) one of the most spine tinglingly awesome bits about buying a bag handmade by me is that YOU can be part of the design stage. Want a bag with pink stitching? Done!! Want to use one of your little girl’s dresses as the lining so every time you open it you think of her? Of course! Want a tiny pocket to carry around your Grandma’s locket? It would be my honour <3
So, what kind of bag do you fancy? Contact me for a chat. I don’t bite (much)!
