New bags from Poppy Treffry of Cornwall celebrate British-made

Cornish company Poppy Treffry are celebrating a ‘coming of age’ collection of tote and clutch bags which they have added to their popular range of homewares and accessories, all made in house in their  studio in Penzance.

The three new bag styles include the Sketchbook Tote, inspired by Poppy’s sketchbooks, with three internal compartments, leather detailing and embroidered designs.

Sketchbook clutch with an embroidered vintage racer bicycle design 

Beautiful clutch bags feature best-selling motifs and several brand new designs, and are made from sturdy denim with a leather wrist strap.

Clutch bag embroidered with a Dachshund 

The shoulder tote bag with Oyster-catchers, featuring 

a phone pocket and three compartments.

The Oil Cloth Totes are made from Poppy’s own designed oil cloth fabric in popular Darling Dachshund, Best in Show and Oyster Catcher patterns.

Two fabric designs also join the collection of canvas bags - Muddy Paws, featuring Poppy’s incredibly popular Labrador design, and the striking Cornish Chough.

“Being the product we first started out making, our bags are very special to us and it’s been such a joy to focus on them this year,” says Poppy. “We have sourced some beautiful new base fabrics and leather to work with as well as finally having our own fabric made into oil cloth. The only difficult thing is deciding which one to take home with me!”

Poppy Treffry's  range of gifts and home wares are stocked by boutiques and galleries across the country, including Fortnum and Masons, and with a growing number of international stockists across Europe, Japan and the US. Their core range is created in Cornwall using freehand machine embroidery but, since the introduction of printed tea towels, the range has grown to include ceramics, printed fabrics and stationery, all instantly recognisable in Poppy’s whimsical style.

The new bags are available now via the Poppy Treffry website, via mail order and from selected stockists in the UK and internationally too.

Sweetlime opens new shop in St Ives

So Sweetlime, a brand of unique and vibrant jewellery and accessories, has been lured to Cornwall and opened a new store in picturesque St. Ives.

Originally based in London, founder Elspeth Walker said her new lifestyle store, her first in the country, “reflects everything Sweetlime is about - travel, colour and a passion for adornment."

While she will continue on her globe-trotting mission to find something new, Elspeth said the Sweetlime collections will continue to evolve and grow. “We have expanded our brand and now stock homewares and gift items; together with our own collection of jewellery and bags, there will also be gifts and artwork from local artists.”

 

Shown here are some of the Sweetlime jewellery at a Best of Britannia show in London.

Having had worked in the fashion industry for many years, Elspeth set up a small studio in Highgate, London and began by assembling samples of her work and then targeted jewellery buyers at big stores as well as small boutiques.

 

All photos: Lucia Carpio

The name Sweetlime is based on a chilled drink made with fresh lime that she so often enjoyed in India (the recipe is found on her website and it is divine on a hot summer day).  “(The drink) was totally refreshing after a long flight and left a lasting impression,” Elspeth reminisced about her first trip to India to source local materials some 20 years ago.

A graduate from Edinburgh College of Art where she specialised in jewellery design and making, Elspeth had worked in New York in Manhattan’s fashion and jewellery district and gathered invaluable experience working with world-class designers before moving back to London to start her own jewellery business.

Drawing inspiration from her extensive travels within Europe; India and South East Asia, Elspeth's jewellery showcase her flair and creativity through an eclectic cultural mix of unique finds, featuring hand-made pieces, incorporating “materials and one-off designs that are out-of-the-ordinary". 

Elspeth invites visitors to meet her in her new St. Ives shop for “a unique shopping experience". 

The  address: Wills Lane, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 1AF