The angelic tones of Florence Welch and Marina & the Diamonds regaled attendees at the launch of Jacki Anderson’s debut handbag collection this week.
For a collection designed as homage to strong, beautiful, inspirational woman, the soundtrack for the night was appropriate, and straight out of Anderson’s personal playlist.
Citing music as the starting point for her designs, Anderson explained that each clutch and shoulder bag in the collection is named after a woman she is inspired by; among them her mother, Taylor Tomasi Hill and Emmanuelle Alt.
“All these women are very stylish, they’re all beautiful, they’re all strong, they’ve all got a lot of integrity… they do it all with grace and that feminine sort of charm,” Anderson said.
An element of luxury and an emphasis on quality are important to Anderson, who is proud to state that the collection is 100% Australian made, and the leather sourced from Italian tanneries which she personally selected.
Soft Italian-leather clutches and bags in neutral shades of beige and black are complemented by pieces in a splash of powder blue and fuchsia. Lined inside with vibrant orange cotton twill, each bag features a statement piece of bling, designed by Kate and Anna Cowen of Melbourne-based jewellery label Edenborough Evans.
These 18 karat gold-plated leaf charms are detachable, and can be worn as a jewellery piece: Anderson had hers glinting from a gold chain around her neck.
“You can wear it as a necklace; you can switch it around… I like that aspect of it,” she said.
Anderson’s second collection, which is set for tentative release in September, will feature larger tote bags and a subtler colour palette, based around navy, cream, chocolate and black.
“I’m constantly changing,” Anderson explains. “The quality is important to me, it’s what drives me.”
Anderson’s debut collection is currently available online at her web store and is set to be stocked in Melbourne later this year.
Images by Camille Gower
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