Edinburgh-based Strathberry sell their bags, loved by royals, for less than half price in sample sale

The latest collection is inspired by the cinema

Leeanne and Guy

Edinburgh-based brand, Strathberry, got a recent boost, when the Duchess of Cambridge was spotted with one of their bags, while on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Jubilee. Usually, their creations have a royal price tag of £275-£725, but they’re holding a Strathberry Sample Sale on June 25, with discounts of up to 60 per cent off if you visit their showroom, from 10am until 5pm. Advance tickets on Eventbrite.

We spoke to designers and owners, husband-and-wife team Guy and Leeanne Hundleby about the nine-year-old brand.

How does being a Scottish brand inform your designs?

Bags from AW22 collection

We’re really proud of our heritage. Scotland has been the stunning backdrop of our campaigns and has inspired our collections over the years. We love Edinburgh’s breathtaking architecture and this has definitely influenced the geometry and balance of our own designs. For our SS22 collection, we chose Loch Ard as a location - it was the perfect landscape to complement the collection and a nod to our heritage.

Tell us about the Strathberry journey

It’s been incredible with so many milestones. From moving the team to our first office in Edinburgh’s west end (with stunning views of Edinburgh Castle) to opening our first flagship store in London’s Burlington Arcade in 2018. Seeing the wonderful support we’ve received from celebrities, press and customers has made this journey very special.

How did lockdown affect you?

AW22 bags

We had to adjust quickly, while making sure the team felt supported in a time of great uncertainty. We temporarily closed our stores, and for a short period of time distribution was impacted, but thankfully we were quickly able to restart shipping globally, which was important as we’re a predominantly online business. Thankfully, we’re now pretty much back at pre-pandemic revenue levels, with lots of ambitious growth plans.

How do celebrity endorsements affect sales?

We were especially honoured that both HRH The Duchess of Cambridge and HRH The Duchess of Sussex chose to carry us on multiple occasions, in particular when they sported our designs while on royal engagements in Scotland.

Who is your average customer?

The Strathberry woman has an appreciation for understated luxury and a conscious approach to shopping, with an eye for cutting edge designs. She is loyal, socially responsible and appreciates premium craftsmanship.

What are the inspirations behind the spring/summer collection?

Guy: Our latest collection is inspired by escapism in cinema and features candy pastels in sage and pink and rich textures. It’s a retro chic collection complemented by our new Safari bag design, which was inspired by the shape of a vintage binocular case that has been in our family for a long time and belonged to my Grandfather.

We both like to push boundaries and infuse all our creativity into each new shape. Over the years, we’ve enjoyed being more experimental and adventurous, finding different and creative ways to incorporate the Strathberry bar.

Any top bags in the sale?

Expect fun colours, beautiful neutrals and great classics. In addition, there are a number of exclusive colourways that will be sold on the day, including some very nice one-off sample designs that for various reasons never made it to full production – a limited edition of one!

www.strathberry.com