I have been designing and selling my work since I was 14, that was 1968! The first thing I ever sold was a grey felt handbag with apples appliqued on the front in a very 'pop art' style. Strangely I never made another bag until 2006 as I got caught up in theatrical costume design and then had a large business for 10 years designing and manufacturing top end leather clothes. I recently returned to making bags as they are more 'architectural' and do not have the limitations of a clothing line. I introduce 2 new styles a week and my portfolio now comprises of 128 styles, all of which have been made in runs of 5 per style.

A few years ago I read a weighty tome called "Carried Away" it is written by the director of Hermes and trawls their archives, it was the skill of their craftsmen, rather than the bags, that I found aspirational. In keeping with trying to revive traditional skills I only use top grade English leathers and trim my bags with whatever interesting pieces I find on my travels around Europe. It is incidental that my trims are usually more than 50 years old, just seems like they were made with an enduring quality.  I spend a lot of my free time watching old Hollywood movies, so the bags used by Tippi Hedren, Ava Gardner and the likes always fascinate me. I do not have a target audience, but have found that my bags appeal to young people who like a vintage/retro look, without the wear and tear and older women who can remember when all bags were leather lined. A lot of men buy my bags for presents to their loved ones as they are limited editions so make a 'special' present.

After my children had grown up and left home I thought I could semi-retire graciously, but, after visiting an exhibition of Elsa Schiaparelli's work in Paris, I realized I am obsessed with designing and taking an idea to its limits. I made a bag using some very fine leather I had left over from my clothing range, trimmed it with Bakelite Art Deco buttons and was surprised to see my friends, their daughters and three independent boutiques 'fighting ' over it. This made me realize this was not going to be a retirement hobby, but a project I could engage in for a long time.

I think some of my customers have been interested in the stories behind the buttons I use on my bags, for example I have used ceramic buttons made by an apprentice to English sculptor Henry Moore and had 6 buttons which were originally made for Queen Elizabeth 2 trousseau designed by Hardy Amies.

With lots of experience through theatre work, mass production and commissions I no longer have 'design nightmares', my biggest problem is not finding enough time to make up all of my ideas, I never write anything down or draw and work on the premise that, if I forget about a design it probably wasn't going to work! My greatest achievement was working on an alligator bag with a hard wood base, framed on antique pewter, not the design itself but the fact that, at the cost of 4 fingernails and 3 calluses, I actually managed to turn it in side out to frame!!