Handbag manufacturer to launch own line

Handbag manufacturer Cooper & Hill is looking to bridge the gap between manufacturer and consumer by launching its own label online. The transactional website is set to launch on March 7 and will offer luxury handbags “affordable for everybody” by selling direct to consumers at wholesale prices.

The London-based business, which has been manufacturing handbags for the high street for the last 25 years, will offer ready-to-wear, made-to-order and bespoke bags that are made with antique and soft Napa leather and all will be priced under 300 pounds.

A signature piece of the collection will be the Fleet Street portfolio, which is made using antique leather, and features a functional space to keep anything and everything that could possibly be needed during a business day - from pens to banking devices and laptops to traditional notebooks, the design even has a dedicated space especially reserved for an iPad.

Co-founder George Powell said: “What we are doing at Cooper & Hill is changing the way consumers shop for their bags. By changing the dynamic of the shopping experience we are discovering first what consumers want their bags to do, then making it around those needs.

“We set out to create a line of luxury leathers to bridge the price gap in the market. We are designing and creating products that we want to last a lifetime, it’s about creating that one essential piece you’ll keep forever whether it’s brought to you from our inspirations or from your bespoke design.”

To celebrate the launch of the website Cooper & Hill is running a competition inviting consumers to design their own bag. The winning entry will then be made by the brand and shipped to the winner, and all entrants will be given a 20 percent off voucher to buy their bespoke design. The deadline for entries is March 21.