ueen Bea

This very unusual design is based on traditional Japanese patchwork. It’s a complete one off and there will be no more made because it’s mostly hand-worked and quite frankly, I don’t have the patience to do any more of these! I must confess this is probably the least practical handbag in the shop due to its bijou size, but it really is something special. And for a smart night out, you could carry keys, money, a small mobile and lippy in here easily enough.

The background fabric is a vintage paisley brocade in lilac and antique cream tones topped with a subtly contrasting taupe cord handle. The front is appliqed with a Siamese cat in felt. At the bottom corner of the bag we can see the edge of the cat’s ball in a spotty cotton fabric, but she’s currently playing with the jingley bell between her paws. She’s wearing a printed green silk ruffle round her neck and a hot pink organza bow. Lots of little details enhance the bag further – the ears and front paws stand right out from the bag for a 3D effect. The face is slightly stuffed to add further depth. The ruffle also stands out from the bag slightly to complete this subtly scultural effect. The winsome little face has been hand-embroidered and finished off with a tiny pink glass heart for a nose. You can see a lot of work has gone into this and the effect is really striking.

Approximate size is 3in wide at opening, 6in wide at widest point, and 5in high