Jardine of London Talks Bags, Business and Brexit

After spending 20-years supporting her husband’s business ventures, running a modelling agency and bringing up her boys Mary Jardine felt ready to create her own niche business. Something that she could feel proud of in yeas to come and that’s when she came up with the Jardine of London concept, a luxury handbag brand with quality and timeless appeal at its core.

Mary comments: “I have always loved handbags, but I knew I didn’t want to go down the mass production route of the lower end of the market, nor rely on overt branding that has long appeared on big designer handbags.

“I felt very strongly that my products should be made in the UK and out of the highest quality materials. With manufacturing in the UK declining in the fashion world, I felt the need to support British manufacturing in some way.

“My inspiration for my first design came from childhood memories of my leather music case – hence the music bar detail.  I wondered what it would be like to have something incredibly chic with lovely clean lines incorporating the bar but at the same time being practical.  I feel I have achieved it with the Jardine of London ‘City’ Bag.” 

On setting up your own business Mary has plenty of sound advice: “Do your research and then more research, create your own story and brand, make sure your product(s) is really good and works, and above all make sure you have a market place where you will receive the all important sales,” she advises.  “Never be frightened to ask people who know more than you do – it is the only way to learn.  Be like a sponge and soak up as much information as possible.  Read inspiring books about your industry, read what is going on in your industry, read, read and read some more!”

While Mary was adamant that her products should be made in Britain one of her biggest challenges was to find highly skilled people to make her bags. “Thankfully, after a long search, I found a heritage business that have the highly skilled craftsmanship that is expected of a luxury leather brand,” she says. “If I knew someone was not right for my brand – instead of ploughing on hoping it might come right – I was able to draw a line in the sand and move on, she adds.

An additional challenge was finding the right management team.It can be hard to trust people you have just met. “You are completely relying on someone else who can make or break your business and dream. People make businesses.”

Mary’s core ethos when designing is to make sure the bag actually works and will still be relevant in 50-years time. Her inspiration for the star used in the brand name – comes from the Jardine Star Brooch which was left to Queen Elizabeth II in 1982 by Lady Jardine.  The brooch has eight points and a diamond is placed on a knife-wire between each point.  This brooch is one of the Queen’s favourites.  She wore it on her 90^th Birthday and also for her Diamond Jubilee pageant river trip on the Thames.

Mary’s second collection is the same pattern but made out of the most sumptuous goat-skin. This gives the bag a completely different look. The leather is very durable, deliciously soft and will patina with age. Clearly a winner with Mary’s core customers, the brand has also had the honour of making handbags for Naomi Watts, Emma Watson, Rosamund Pike, Keira Knightly and Naomie Harris. Not bad for a luxury business that is less than half a decade old.

With her design and production firmly set on home soil we asked Mary her view on the recent Brexit result. She said: “I was desperately sad to hear the result of the EU referendum.  I don’t understand why people wish to jeopardise our strength we have with being in Europe with regards to business.  British manufacturing is on a knife-edge at the moment – there were definite signs of improvement.  We are a nation of inspiring entrepreneurs – the economic shock of Brexit will be hugely damaging to the prospects of start-up businesses.  It will set the UK back by years.  We can already see the damaging effects of this vote – investment and jobs are being pulled due to the instability of us not knowing what is going to happen.  Leaving the EU will without doubt cost us all a lot of money, it may be hugely damaging to the fashion industry – changes cost money, which means products get more expensive, which means fewer goods sold, which leads to an economy contracting and jobs lost.” 

Additionally she mentions: “On the subject of immigrants – we need their skills in the fashion industry – they contribute to our society and economy.  We can only hope being out of the EU will not prevent these people coming and working in our businesses.”

Meanwhile its back to business and ensuring that Britain’s entrepreneurial spirit continues to drive the nation forward.

To view Jardine of London’s full range of luxury handbags please visit: www.jardineoflondon.co.uk

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