Wicker Wings have re-launched their new handbags and they are absolutely beautiful.
When James graduated from the University of Liverpool he had no idea he would be behind one of the North of England’s most exciting fashion start-ups. But life’s a funny thing. Him and his sister, Belinda, grew up in Liverpool and started Wicker Wings in 2014. They were inspired by their Grandmother when one evening round the dinner table she was telling them of her tales of when she made wicker baskets for a living in China growing up. James and Belinda wanted to carry on this traditional craft and passion into a new era. And so Wicker Wings was born – a handbag brand with a story.
The last few years have been a continual learning process for the brother and sister, and since the launch of their first handbag range in 2014 they have came a long way in their outlook on life and fashion. Although they don’t come from a manufacturing background, they have spent the past year developing their product personally and overseeing each and every single step to learn and understand the process behind their bags (staggeringly, each handbag has 150 steps to it!). The core of Wicker Wings is still the same, in that they use traditional wicker weaving techniques which have been passed down from generation to generation in China, but they now also work with a very small team of Liverpool leather craftsmen who have 50 years of experience to bring together the wicker body with the finest vegetable tanned leather from Tuscany.
Their story of bringing their Grandmother’s old craft back to life in the shape of a beautiful handbag, and using only the finest materials and working with local craftsmen, has led to their philosophy of “Know the story, Understand the Process” – and what a great story and process it is.
Have a look at their full collection here: www.wickerwings.com/store and make sure you follow them on Instagram to keep up with their story.
