Just in time for London Fashion
Week, an art gallery was transformed into a pop-up shop to showcase the new line of
Village England leather handbags. Founded in 2012, Village England is establishing itself as a brand for women who favour classically stylish handbags in the
affordable luxury price range.
Co-founders Julia Dobson and Eddie Knevett set out to design a leather handbag '
you can fall in love with but isn’t so precious that it can’t be thrown in the back of the car'. In other words, the product is fashionable yet functional, a handbag for walking downtown, taking the Tube or driving into the country.
The co-founders have a background in fashion marketing, and they see a promising opportunity in affordable luxury as
Mulberry moves upmarket into premium luxury leather bags, priced as high as £2,500. Lately, Mulberry's upmarket momentum seems to be stalled, with the firm issuing
profit warnings even as it eyes the buying power of Asian status-seekers who covet British luxe brands with tradition and cachet.
Mulberry's upmarket move leaves a gap in the market, which Village England aims to fill. Most of Village England's handbags are priced below £300, although some (like the Elsworth Black Tote featured in
House of Fraser) carry price tags around £395.
Sociable from the start, Village England is building its brand in social media, especially important for building buzz after its pop-up shop shuts. Click to its
Facebook page,
Pinterest board or
Twitter feed to see the brand's messages and its growth trajectory.
