Radley World
The Kentucky Derby 2024 Collection: Celebrating The 150th Races
22 March 2024
The mint juleps and rose bouquets are being prepared as we speak. The stage is set, both at the Churchill Downs racecourse and across the pond at Radley HQ in London, where we’ve just launched this year’s Kentucky Derby collection.
We’re excited to be back as the Official Licensee Handbag Partner, especially for the landmark 150th event. In honour of the special occasion, we’ve created brand new race-day designs that truly raise the style stakes. And they're perfect for bringing some US Southern charm to British racing events too.
Let’s hand the reins over to Dani, one of our in-house Designers, who can tell us all about these special edition styles.
“These styles all honour the prestigious 150-year history of the races.” – Dani, Designer
“This year is set to be the biggest Derby yet. So we wanted to make our new collection extra special. To do this, we looked back at the history and iconic traditions of the races to find inspiration for new, thoughtful details.
“From new, statement shapes to coveted silhouettes that you’ll wear long after the winner receives the gold trophy, these styles all honour the prestigious 150-year history of the races.”
So what are the details Dani mentioned? You can expect hand-drawn horse prints, inlaid leather and appliqué. Plus, lots of high-shine equestrian-style hardware, including detachable chain straps. And of course, we’ve used soft leather across the board. Take a look.
It is called The Run For The Roses after all. Our flower cross body bag blooms with layered petals in soft grained leather.
Dani says, “Roses are a key motif in fashion this season, and they also happen to be the official flower of the races. You’ll see lots of them throughout the collection, like on the leather handbag charms, where they’ve been intricately appliquéd onto horseshoes to bring you a little extra luck on race day.”
It wouldn’t be a Kentucky Derby without a mint julep, would it? Ours is the kind of cocktail that never runs out. Dani perfected the recipe, even down to the final garnish.
“This bucket bag mimics the shape of the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby. The drawstring fastening keeps your essentials safe and happens to look like ice filling the glass. Then there’s the detachable mint leaf fob – the final touch that every mint julep needs.”
“For the first time, we’ve added our Scottie to the collection. You’ll find him appliquéd on the back, dressed as a jockey.” – Dani, Designer
The odds are you’ll love this one. This is our commemorative grab bag, a boxy shape in grained leather with bound edges and a chunky chain strap. But it’s the decorative details that make it really special.
“This bag features illustrations of the Churchill Downs paddock and twin spires. We’ve even awarded it with its own leather rosette, complete with the 150th Kentucky Derby logo. This year is also the first time we’ve added Radley dog to the collection. You’ll find him appliquéd on the back, dressed as a jockey.”
Did we mention that there’s something for everyone? That’s right, even your plus one. In this collection, we have our first ever men’s Kentucky Derby wallet. You know what that means. Finally being able to coordinate your accessories on race day.
Have you chosen your winner? It was close, but Dani tells us which style she’s picking for race day.
“I love the vintage ticket cross body, with its beautiful embossing and leather whipstitched edges. It also converts into a clutch bag when you take off the chain strap.”
We can’t wait to see you at the races with designs from our Kentucky Derby collection. For style inspiration ahead of the big day, keep an eye on our Instagram. You can also head over to our New In page to shop spring styles from our latest collection.
