For all lovers of traditional English style you need look no further for your handbags than the fun yet luxurious ranges by design house Radley.
The History of Radley
As a relative newcomer to the handbag market, the company having only just started in 1998, they bring together the nutty, ecentricity and love of quality leatherwork that you might expect of a slightly bohemian Lady of the Manor.
Radley is a true British brand, which was founded by Lowell Harder. Radley bags quickly became a staple to every fashion conscious woman's wardrobe and their prices (expensive, yet not too expensive) led to them gathering a large following. The parent company, Radley & Co, also owns the brands Radley, Tula and Hidesign.
Radley, though proud of it's very English, "Englishness," does take its inspirations from around the globe and as a result a lot of the items are bright and playful.
The Company Ethos
The ethos of Radley perhaps tells you more about their approach to design than an article or photograph ever could. Their ethos to handbag design is, "We will never make a bag just because it sells. We will never make a bag just because it's fashionable. We will never make a bag we don't feel passionate about. We are devoted to making beautiful things that women can fall in love with."
The Main Elements of a Radley
There are similarities in many of the Radley designs and this is a result of the company style. Radley tries to do several things when designing its bags:
- use colour to reflect emotion
- to bring fun into the designs
- use patterns, textures and unusual materials to compliment or contrast with the leather
- be practical by offering comfortable handles and straps with plenty of room inside the bags and handy pockets
- little leather tag in the shape of a dog or a dog print fabric often found on a Radley bag
The Radley Range
Of course not many handbag companies these days make just handbags, and Radley is no exception. In its handbag line you can buy clutch bags, grab bags, satchels, cross over bags, totes and shoulder bags.
The rest of the product range is delightfully varied and includes:
- shoes: boots, heels, wedges and flats.
- purses; Large, medium, small and wristlets.
- accessories: Umbrellas, keyrings, hats, scarves, gloves and foldaway shoppers.
- work and travel: Suitcases, baby bags, travel bags, gym bags and holdalls.
- the fun stuff: ipod cases, card wallets, manicure sets, passport covers, travel alarm clocks, pen holders, jewellery cases, organisers, make-up bags, washbags and even a range of stationary and Christmas cards.
So for those many Radley fans there are enough products to fill a very large shopping cart!
To learn more about Radley or to browse their products you can visit their website.
Dulcinea Norton-Smith - Dulcinea is a writer, an avid reader, a loving wife, a terrible housewife, a mother of two, a Civil Servant and of course a freelance ...
