Radley World
Celebrate Minnie’s 70th Anniversary. New Beano Collection
05 December 2023
We’re back in Beanotown for our second exclusive collaboration. This time we’re teaming up to celebrate Minnie’s 70th anniversary. And marking the occasion in true Radley London fashion, with expertly crafted leather handbags and accessories in her signature bright colours.
We asked Sophie from our Design Team what we could expect from the designs.
“Throughout the collection, Minnie’s iconic prank props such as her pea shooter and bag of peas feature in prints and graphics. She has an amazing hair colour and I wanted to include pops of the orange throughout the styles to pay homage to this.”
Thanks Sophie. Now let’s dive right in, just like adventurous Minnie. More from Sophie, and Minnie, later.
First up is a very special edition of Book Street (pictured at top of this post). Didn’t think Minnie was a big reader? Think again. This one is printed with one of her favourite sayings ‘Hail to the miss-chief' on the spine. Featuring artisan crafted leather appliqué and printed illustrations. If you like an intricate design, this collection is the one for you.
“I love the bags Radley have created. Cool, classy and highly likely to get carried away, they remind me a lot of... me! Chic, with extra cheek!” - Minnie
Our special edition picture bag is truly a work of art. Sophie told us more about this mischievous scene.
“Minnie and Radley are escaping the scene of a prank by taking flight with a kite and balloons found at Minnie’s birthday party. Minnie’s bag of mischief has opened, and her pranks have fallen out of the bag, unfortunately that means someone below might get wet from the water balloon!”
“Only craftspeople who are highly skilled like ours could make these designs possible.”
You’ll find all sorts of incredible craftsmanship throughout the collection, as Sophie notes.
“There’s lots of screen printing and appliqué details on the picture bag and throughout the collection. Only craftspeople who are highly skilled like ours could make these designs possible. Additionally, there’s craft techniques such as leather wrapped handles, tassels and leather stitching. There’s also lots of functionality on the styles such as multiple pockets and compartments, and detachable straps. These are made to be worn and loved for years to come.”
Before we introduce the rest of the collection, we thought we should hear from the person it’s celebrating – Minnie. We were lucky enough to get a few minutes in her busy mischief-making schedule to ask her some questions.
How would you describe your personal style, Minnie?
“Wow, I never thought of it as my personal 'style' - it's just what works for me. Let's see... my great-aunt Candy (my cousin Dennis's Gran) knitted my world-famous black-and-red jumper and beret for me, and I love my skorts - that's a black skirt with built-in cargo shorts underneath. So, I would say my personal style is bespoke urban chic. No, that's mainly about my clothes, not me... make it bespoke urban cheek!”
What three things do you always carry in your bag?
“A peashooter, my diary and a spare hair-bow. There's nothing worse than hair falling in your eyes. Did you know I keep a diary? That always surprises people. Not as much as the peashooter does, though 😉”
And how do you feel about your look being immortalised in this collection?
“I love the bags Radley have created. Cool, classy and highly likely to get carried away, they remind me a lot of ... me! Chic, with extra cheek!”
Thanks Minnie, always a pleasure talking with you. Now we know why our Designers created this camera bag. It’s got two compartments inside plus two handy pockets outside. Ideal for keeping everything organised, not just peashooters.
Our striped trunk bag is also inspired by Minnie's box of tricks. You'll spot a few printed inside the bag as a little surprise. Consider this handbag your reminder to be more like Minnie, her slogan ‘warrior not a worrier’ is printed in gold foil at the side.
For something a little smaller but still packed with style, we recommend one of our leather purses. The perfect festive gift for anyone who would love to carry a little bit of Minnie with them every day.
The full Beano collection is available to shop now. And so is our festive gift guide, with everything from stocking fillers to the main event handbag. Keep an eye on Radley Stories in the run up to 2024.
