UK handbag designer, Jane Hopkinson, has been designing and making handcrafted leather bags over the past 25 years. She trained as an art teacher then went to work in the prop department at Glyndebourne and as a result went on to study theatre design at the English National Opera. After taking time out to have a family Jane decided to create her very own collection of bespoke handbags.

Her first collection, based on her passion for unusual shapes and forms, featured a quirky padded fruit range. This led to a commission for the opening of The Pineapple Dance Studio, Floral Street, Covent Garden. London and subsequently to designing a shell range for clients in Japan and America. Jane's handbags were also selected and stocked at the prestigious Design Council shop during the 1980's in the Haymarket, London.

Her husband Jerry, sculptor and artist, joined the business as it grew and became more successful. They were able to create and develop a unique style of handcrafted leather bags, promoting them at various prestigious shows . One of the first of these was the Chelsea Crafts Fair. Jane still exhibits with the Crafts Council at their new exhibition, Origin at Somerset House (www.craftscouncil.org.uk). Her handbags were selected for the index of selected makers and can be seen on the Crafts Council Photostore on line www.photostore.org.uk. Commissions have been designed for the BBC TV documentary 'Step Families' and for Nicole Kidman in the film 'The Golden Compass' using styling cues from the 1930s. Jane's handcrafted leather bags have been sold at exhibitions, galleries and selected shops throughout the UK, but now with the opening of the showroom in Ditchling these designer leather bags only retail through The Glyndebourne Opera House gallery, her own showroom and selected shows.