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Handbagolgy - Personalised handbag design with psychological impetus  

With a formal background in psychology and psychodrama, my passion for handbag design and fashion has always been greatly influenced by this, as I believe passionately that people's state of mind and outlook on the world can be greatly enhanced by the choices of design that they surround themselves with. 

Having gone a step further, I started producing unique pieces, handbags and briefcases that my clients knew were one of a kind. 

This led to me actually designing and making bags entirely based on individual clients' personalities and tailored to their unique preferences, which is about as bespoke as it is possible to get. Colours, textures, materials, shapes and even linings can be the signature of the individual's uniqueness. I have coined the term handbagolgy which is based on idea of applying psychological ideas in my fashion design. 

My thought provoking and sense engaging boutiques with wonderland style Interactive Shop windows 

I decided to pour every ounce of creativity I could muster into making my boutiques an experience in itself. Starting with my very first quirky one in 58 Brewer street in Soho to eclectic design hub at 406 King’s road in Chelsea . 

From interactive window displays 

accessible by passers by from outside my shop, to amalgamating different art forms, handbags and accessories, Alice in Wonderland figurines, and trapeze champagne artist  

Which all made into a visual feast that made customers connect to my boutique and my designs.

I love to connect with people, and personalising my shoppers' experience creates a real sense of mutual loyalty and trust which is why most of my customers return regularly to see me, which is perhaps one of my proudest achievements. I was deeply honoured at having been recognised for my unique approach to fashion and retail at the Kensington and Chelsea Business Awards , and was nominated and highly commended at the Chelsea Awards for the most unique shop in Chelsea and just this month shortlisted for the Instore Creativity Award by Good retail Awards 2020. I was also very proud to be selected for the Mayor of London's project “ Growth with Al “  aimed at a handful of prospective small businesses.

I feel that my brand have so much to offer, and it felt like such an ironic twist that just as I was starting to receive important recognition for my work and after the success of my shop at 406 Kings road, the covid virus took us all by surprise and I had to give up my shop since my landlord chose this moment to double my rent! Shortly before this my shop was burgled twice and I was violently robbed by, so my morale had already taken a beating, and the covid19 lockdown was the 'coup de grace', the death blow. I used the lockdown period to work on my designs and regroup, and then my luck changed when the Crème de la crème of high end retailers, John Lewis  invited me to showcase by bags in their flagship store in Chelsea.

Another wave of this infernal pandemic had made retail impossible for me for the time being, and I am working on creating an online platform to sell my unique designs. 

Thats why I created this crowdfunded project with the 'pay it forward' option, where I offer you my bespoke designs at prices which I have significantly lowered in order to make the sales mutually beneficial.

 The funds raised in this manner will support my business and allow it to evolve and become covid proof!

 It will also allow my 'handbagology' concept to develop and allow my designs to remain fresh and vibrant. 

I have also lucky to qualify for the mayor of London's 'Back To Business' fund, whereby I will receive extra funding from the Mayor of London as long as I reach my target funding from a minimum of 50 different pledges. 

At this stage I realise that both I and my brand need your help  to keep on going and attempt to shake the very foundations of the conventional hand bag world and offer instead mood enhancing individually handcrafted one of a kind designs to brighten up our lives, celebrate our individuality and break from conformity in a joyful way that induces happiness and stimulates our senses! 

We would carefully use the funds to create e commerce platform as well as to secure retail space, but of over-riding importance to us is the use of only the highest quality leather, ethically sourced using only the leather of higher welfare animals and alternative leather sources such as ethically sourced fish (which produce a variety of exquisitely textured leather), and the introduction of glamorous non-leather high end materials such as coconut, bamboo and other plant baser materials. 

We would also use the funds to cover the cost of craftsmanship at its very best. Our small workshop in Italy  has ceased to exsist, a very sad result of these tough times we have all faced due to the pandemic. After searching far and wide we have found a new partner but in order to stay away from mass production (the unfortunate choice of so many of the big names, favouring profit over ethics and real quality craftsmanship), we need your financial backing. This in turn will allow us to adhere to our fundamental principles and only ever create unique, verifiably handcrafted products. The craftsmen who help me realise the creation of my hand-made handbag dream designs are part of a dying breed of highly skilled artisans who I passionately believe are the soul of my creations and who we need to work with in order to prevent the production-line approach to production from taking over the industry. If you support me, I can in turn help to support them, and they can work their magic! 

I am asking for your support in order to help me finally fulfill this dream that I have worked so hard to achieve, and which I am certain will take off with this support, as for me it's all about spreading this passion for beautiful mood-enhancing objects of delight. In fact I am so passionate about the handbagolgy design concept that l have given up my full time job in psychology for this dream of mine. I'm all in. And l think that my “ business model “ works well because it’s based on crafting my dream into reality - The way l see life is that a real dream written down with a date becomes a goal, which then divided into steps becomes a plan, and a plan backed by action becomes reality. The reality already exists, but my dream is to make it perpetual rather than ephemeral. For this I need to fan the tiny flame and turn this into something that can grow and stand on its own two feet in an industry that is notoriously tough to succeed in and that tends to devour cheeky little contenders! I would hugely appreciate help to overcome the stumbling blocks l am facing and to carry on bringing joy to everyone by designing bags based entirely upon the individual customer's personalies and to offer meaningful, mood enhancing designs that put a smile on people's faces.

As a way of saying thank you l would in return be delighted to offer my unique bags and accessories at special price , or depending on the level of support, a one to one friendly and fun meeting with delicious refreshments and a psychological assessment based upon which l will design and with my craftsmen create a bag which will bear a finger-print like resemblance you and your own wonderful uniqueness, making your handbag unmistakably your own! This is one of many rewards in this project .