Sweet & Candy handbag with Romantic Dream pattern

What goes into a 28x24 cm handbag

At 28x24 cm this is a daytime size rather than a work bag. A purse, a phone, keys, a small make-up pouch and a slim notebook go in without stretching the panels. The flat base matters more than it sounds: the bag stays upright when you put it down beside a chair instead of tipping over. If you need a different balance of shapes, the shop lists the other short-handled shapes in the range.

Short handles that hold their curve

Two rigid short handles hold their curve, so they stay open in your palm or over your forearm instead of collapsing flat. That works for an afternoon in town or a lunch out. Two metal rings are fitted on either side, level with the gussets.

A front panel drawn like a page from a travel journal

The illustration shows a young woman from behind, a wide pink hat tied with a cream ribbon, a raspberry skirt, an old film camera hanging from her hand. Behind her sits a faded map in pink tones, cancelled stamps, an Eiffel Tower, a colonnade, a small aeroplane and a rainbow. A framed line reads "Today's moments are tomorrow's memories", set beside a small illustrated camera.

Beige-pink faux leather and antique gold hardware

The trim, the base and the side gussets are cut from textured beige-pink faux leather, a shade deeper than the printed panel. The handles are held by buckled tabs closed with antique gold studs, and a small gold plate in cursive lettering sits in the middle of the upper tab.

Turn it over for the rainbow arches

The second face is a different bag altogether. Arches repeat across the whole surface in coral, blue-grey, cream and pale pink. Over them lies a large zipped pocket in dark brown faux leather, outlined in white topstitching and carrying three handwritten lines: "Listen to your heart. You are the love of my life. True love prevails." A round embossed medallion signs the label, which brings the same illustration work to its other printed bags and purses.

Cleaning it without dulling the print

A soft cloth, barely damp, is enough for the faux leather. On the printed panel, dab rather than rub: the colours lose their depth if you scrub them. Stored loosely stuffed with paper between outings, the bag keeps the shape it was cut to.