In the Studio
The March Edit: Feeling in the Pink
13 May 2024
Spring is officially in bloom. Both outside the windows of our office - in London’s Green Park - and indoors, where we’re enjoying a feast for the senses with our March Edit, and the people who brought it to life. Our Designers.
Before we got into the very exciting new styles, we wondered what each of the team look for in a handbag they would wear themselves.
What details do you love in an amazing handbag?
Zizi: My eyes go straight to the construction. Some styles can look simple but actually be quite complex in how they’re made.
Liz: I love a bit of detail, like a quilt or a weave. A gorgeous bit of craftsmanship.
Lucy: When we were designing this collection we were all huge fans of colour blocking, and we had quite a few days in the office where we wore head to toe colour to match the bags.
(Editor’s note: we have proof, here’s Lucy looking fantastic in our Mayfair office)
“You can’t help but smile when you see our March collection.”
Alice: Hardware really sets off a design for me. Sophie and I have spent two years researching this. We were perfecting what we already had, for instance changing a flat zip pull to a slightly rounded version that looks and feels upgraded. We know most people would never notice this change, but we take pride in the tiny details.
Sophie: I like a bag that really stands out. Something with bold colours, and a story behind it. I also love any design with dogs on it. We’ve got some gorgeous new Radley & Friends styles, including Luna the dachshund, named for - and modelled on - Liz’s gorgeous dog.
(Editor’s note: we can certainly see the resemblance.)
What are the key colours for March?
Lucy: I think you can’t help but smile when you see our March collection. Our key colours are Vintage Pink and Peach and they’re just so pretty and calming, perfect for this time of year.
Liz: Going back to our nature inspiration, this month is all about roses. It’s quite romantic, and you’ll find some perfect event styles.
What details should we look out for in March?
Lucy: If you’re a fan of Bridgerton, you’ll love our Regency-inspired twists. Season two came out while we were designing this collection.
Sophie: We think everyone will love the regal detailing on bags like Rosebay Avenue, perfect for special events.
Zizi: Tactile shapes are going to be big this season. You’ll see our take with styles like Sunny Rise Floral and that soft leather you can gather in with the drawstring. And of course Clarence Road, which is a really exciting new handbag. A soft, scooped shape with unbelievable pleat-embossed detailing.
What was the inspiration behind Clarence Road?
Zizi: Again it ties back to that Regency inspiration and how a lot of dresses were constructed in this period.
Lucy: Yes, a combination of that and also looking at nature in unexpected ways. This is such a huge inspiration in the fashion world right now. It might sound unusual, but I highly recommend everyone reading this to watch a documentary on Netflix called Fantastic Fungi. It shows some incredibly beautiful close-ups of mushrooms that inspired us to create these soft, embossed lines.
“We want our designs to be used and loved forever.”
We love the new look for Liverpool Street 2.0, please tell us more about it.
Alice: Liverpool Street 2.0 Stitch is inspired by broderie anglaise. There’s so much hand detailing in this, with whipstitch, punch outs and embroidery. It takes our artisans two and a half days to make the front panel for every bag.
Lucy: And the colour combination here is fantastic, with Peach as the main shade and this really happy orange called Sundial peeping through the punch details.
Sophie: The Liverpool Street 2.0 Colour Block is a contemporary way of adding a splash of colour to everyone’s favourite style. We love how it looks, but we were also thinking about the practicality of using this bag. The colour pop on the handles will keep it looking fresher for longer. We want our designs to be used and loved forever.
And we have another special addition to this bag in the shape of the little charm. We created both a rose and a flower design, and I don’t want to tell you how many versions we went through to get this just perfect. We wanted it to look so real you feel like you can smell its perfume.
Thank you, Radley London Design Studio. The March Edit truly is a feast for the senses.
Find all of these styles and many more in our New In section. In case you missed the launch of our Spring campaign, catch up now.
