Handmade in Dorset
Isabel Designs

About

A red Scorpion bloom purse held beneath leafy branches in the sunshineSix colourful Isabel Designs purses arranged together, featuring horses, cherries, a scorpion, an anchor, a hound and a mothColourful purses on a wooden bench with an Isabel Designs thank-you card

I started creating my designs in 2022, and it’s been quite a journey getting to where I am today! There’s been plenty of trial and error, and a few moments when I felt as though I was back at square one. But I’m so glad I kept going, because designing is something I truly love.

Alongside designing my purses, I also began hand-painting furniture. Creating my own designs and bringing them to life through painting opened up a whole new world of creativity for me. I love how the two go hand in hand and inspire each other, giving me different ways to explore colour and pattern.

Quality and colour are really important to me, so finding the right fabric and printing technique for my purses took time. I wanted to make sure the colours were just right and the prints would last.

At the same time, I was sourcing the other materials I needed and looking for a local seamstress to help bring my ideas to life. That’s when Margaret got in touch. She’s an incredible seamstress, and together we worked to perfect the purses, making little changes along the way until we were both happy with the results.

It’s taken patience, hard work and a fair bit of figuring things out along the way, but seeing everything come together has made it all worthwhile. I’m so pleased to be able to share my designs and creations with you.