How Strathberry is building a global Scottish brand

Leanne annd Guy Hundleby. Credit: Strathberry | Strathberry

Strathberry’s rise shows that a luxury brand from Scotland can compete on the world stage and win.

From Edinburgh to New York, Paris and Tokyo, the business has carved out a distinctive global position while remaining firmly rooted in its Scottish identity.

Strathberry is also an entrant on Scotsman Insider’s Scale Up 75 and achieved an impressive 35% growth rate year-on-year for FY25.

While its handbags are handcrafted in specialist workshops in Spain, the brand’s creative, commercial and strategic heart remains in Scotland, with design direction, product development, brand strategy and global operations led from Edinburgh.

“What it shows is that a brand from Scotland can compete with the big international luxury players and genuinely succeed,” said co-founder Leeanne Hundleby.

“That was always what we set out to do. We have a strong Scottish spirit and set of values, but we see ourselves as a global brand, competing with the established names in the sector.”

That ambition is increasingly reflected in the numbers.

Strathberry is on track to reach £50m in revenue for the year ending April 2026, following a record peak trading period and continued momentum across key global markets.

The Edinburgh-headquartered business achieved an impressive 35% growth rate year-on-year for FY25.

Performance strengthened further during 2025, with record-breaking trading across November and December, up 58 per cent on the prior year.

On the back of this momentum, Strathberry aims to double the size of the business within the next three years.

In the US, retail partners including Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom have identified Strathberry as one of their key growth brands, placing it alongside some of the most recognisable names in luxury.

The US has become a particularly strong market, with New York standing out.

Seeing Strathberry bags on the streets there remains a “pinch-me moment” for the couple.

Japan is another major pillar of growth, underlining how global the business has become. 2025 saw the brand’s wholesale footprint increase tenfold in the region and the launch of two highly successful pop-ups with key luxury partners: Mitsukoshi Ginza in Tokyo and Hankyu in Osaka.

That international trajectory can be traced back to a pivotal moment more than a decade ago, when Kickstarter proved to be make-or-break.

“When we relaunched, we sold out straight away,” the founders recall.

“The Kickstarter gave us the ability to reinvest, and each time we did, the business stepped up a level.”

At the time, the decision came with real personal risk. With four children and having already sold their house to help fund the business, everything was on the line.

“It was an emotional moment and a genuine leap of faith,” said Leeanne.

Demand quickly outstripped expectations.

A FedEx contact helped manage the surge, printing shipping labels late into the night as around 600 boxes were prepared for dispatch.

More than a decade later, that same contact is still working with the business.

“It was very hands-on, very real, but it worked,” said Guy.

BGF invested £8 million into Strathberry in 2022 as a minority growth capital investment to fuel international expansion, product development and e-commerce growth.

Growth since then has been consistently strong, punctuated by product launches that accelerated momentum.

“One of the advantages we’ve had as a young brand is that our designs are very recognisable,” Guy said. “You can spot a Strathberry bag from across the street.”

The original tote bag, inspired by a vintage music folio, remains a best seller more than ten years on, alongside enduring styles such as its Mosaic bag.

More recently, the Kite range has had a big impact on revenue.

Design and early sampling are led in Scotland, supported by Strathberry’s Edinburgh workshop, before full production is carried out with long-standing Spanish manufacturing partners.

As turnover and headcount have grown, leadership has evolved too.

The team understands the pace of growth, and the Team who work at Strathberry thrive on it.

“We’re growing quickly and this suits an ambitious team,” the founders said. “The people who are here are aligned with that ambition.”

In a Scottish context, the journey stands out.

Few homegrown luxury brands have scaled to this level in such a short period.

“You can be based in Scotland and still connect with the world,” said Leeanne.

Financial discipline has underpinned that growth.

The direct-to-consumer model supported cash flow during volatile periods, while big decisions were tested before being locked in.

“In the early days you do everything yourself, I used to drive the van to Paris markets,” said Guy.

“But if you keep going, the business has a chance.”

For Strathberry, that persistence has translated into sustained growth and a global luxury brand built from Scotland.

The Kickstarter that changed everything

Strathberry’s first real inflection point came through Kickstarter.

The founders set a £25,000 target to test demand beyond selling locally, using the platform as proof of concept rather than a funding lifeline.

In just 20 days, the campaign raised more than £120,000, attracting customers globally and validating the product.

Orders arrived at the founders’ home, where every bag was checked, packed and shipped on time.

One Canadian school order even sparked multiple follow-on purchases.

The proceeds allowed Strathberry to reinvest, sell out, scale production and grow profitably for the next seven years without external funding.

Celebrity endorsements

Strathberry’s global profile has been boosted by a series of high-profile celebrity moments, most notably when Meghan Markle was photographed carrying one of the brand’s bags while undertaking official engagements.

The exposure triggered an immediate surge in demand, with the featured style selling out within minutes and introducing the brand to a much wider international audience.

When Meghan carried a Strathberry bag while visiting charities in Edinburgh and Ireland, the business donated proceeds from related sales to the causes she was supporting, reinforcing the brand’s values-led approach.

Since then, the brand has been spotted on a range of global figures, including Pamela Anderson and Jennifer Lopez.

The Strathberry Growth Playbook

1. Prove demand before scalingStrathberry used Kickstarter to validate global demand early, turning a £25,000 target into more than £120,000 and confirming the product had international appeal.
2. Protect cash at all costsThe founders stayed profitable from the outset, obsessing over cashflow to avoid sleepless nights and ensure resilience through shocks such as the pandemic.
3. Reinvest, don’t overreachGrowth was funded by reinvesting profits, scaling production in stages and avoiding overcommitment on stock, leases or headcount.
4. Test before you commit Pop-ups came before permanent stores, with early retail leases negotiated on turnover-based rents and exit options.
5. Control the customer relationshipKeeping around 70 per cent of sales direct-to-consumer improved cashflow and provided data to guide retail and wholesale decisions.