Monday 15 July 2013

A Bag is a Girl's No.1 Accessory - Guest Post by Lady M Presents

Rachel Montague-Ebbs from Lady M Presents takes over Fiorelli Style Notes with the new season Joey Lauren bag.

When Fiorelli asked me to take part in their #Fiorellihandpicked blogger campaign to celebrate their Autumn/Winter collection launch, I jumped at the chance.  I got even more excited when a bright red bag arrived on my desk here at LadyM Presents... The Joey Lauren.  One of my New Year's resolutions was to “embrace red more” and this was a fabulous way to do so.  Simply gorgeous. 

My #Fiorellihandpicked challenge was an easy one.  Style the Joey Lauren bag, test it out, see how much I can cram in (a lot!) and review the bag. You can read my review here...


I've already taken the Fiorelli Joey Lauren to the office for the girls to coo over, out to dinner at a Jazz Festival in Tunbridge Wells and out for some adventure at the Aston Martin Centenary Race Day.  I've been fully converted from the lover of a clutch and a barrel bag, to a full on tote lover.  

The Joey Lauren has a fab iPad pocket at the front – which this weekend housed three iphones (two mine, one the boyfriends) and an oyster card. Definitely room for all your gadgets!

The large inner pocket with a fab top zip closure can host a whole bunch of “essential” items for my day to day life.  I'm a busy lady and I need to carry a lot of things in my handbag.  The Joey Lauren is perfect for this.  

Here's where I've shown off the Fiorelli Joey Lauren this weekend:

Richmond Park and Gaucho Restaurant, Richmond


Styled with: Banana Republic Multi Stripe Ponte Dress & Mia Piacci Green Wedges
Contents: Sun tan lotion, book, makeup, cardigan, sandals (for when the feet hurt), bottle of water, purse, three phones, oyster card. 

I had so many lovely comments on this dress and the Joey Lauren really makes the colours in the outfit pop!

Woods in the Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells – coffee with fellow twitter fashion lover @pantileslady


Styled with: Ted Baker Lock and Key Vest, Gap Polka Dot trousers, Adidas Slim Court Shoes.
Contents: Two phones, purse, notebook, sunglasses – not much for a sunday morning coffee. Just the essentials.

This bag was talked about a lot over coffee; the colour, the size, the shape, the touch, the style. Available now in black and tan and in September in Port and Choc – I might just go for one in each!  Super practical, gorgeously stylish – 10 out of 10 from the new tote convert!

Friday 5 July 2013

#AskFiorelli's first ever Twitter Q&A with Head Designer Lisa!


“Fiorelli literally means little flower, it's about making women feel special and confident”

This week we held our very first Twitter Q&A, #AskFiorelli , with our Head Designer, Lisa.



We opened up our design studio doors, whilst shooting our SS14 collection, to answer all your questions about working in the industry, the latest trends, inspiration and design philosophy behind Fiorelli products and the Fiorelli brand story.

As the top creative mind at Fiorelli, Lisa has been with Fiorelli with 15 years, travelling to the world’s fashion capitals for inspiration to ensure we produce a stunning collection of must-have, on trend handbags, that you love each season.

If you missed our Q&A, don’t panic, we have a summary below. Keep an eye out for our next Fiorelli Q&A where we will be covering our AW13 range #AskFiorelli. 





@RachelFarshi: What was your inspiration behind the SS13 collection?

Our SS14 collection is a strong mix; with monochrome playing a huge role with clean & function.

@KatieFinger1: Happy birthday @Fiorelli_Bags!! What's your favourite bag from all the designs ever made?

I love the Electra East/West grab bag. I got really excited about our lizard print drawstring bag 5 years ago!

@SusannahMaze: Would you ever team up with a Celebrity for a new range?

This is definitely something I'd love to do. I love Sienna Miller, she has understated British style.

@Tashnineberg: What is your must have accessory this summer?

Would be the Harper bag & Deva bag from our SS14 range. They're great bags, bold in colour for day & evening style.



@TheResourceList: Love the story about a Fiorelli bag lasting 7 years lost in a bush! Durable quality VS quick trends - your thoughts?

We ensure that there is durability in the core design of the bags and add colours and prints to stay on-trend.

@TollDollyPosh: Would you ever collaborate with an emerging designer and create a range?

I'd love to work with an emerging print designer like Jonathan Saunders. I love his signature ombre dot print!

@TollyDollyPosh: If you had to choose a bag which had ‘you’ in it, which would it be?


It would be our everyday Hobo bags. I love their shape and ease for every day style.

@SocialBeautify: Which bag is the most iconic design that is modified and released in different variations season after season?

The Lucinda bag is our best seller. For SS14 the Harper will be the new iconic bag.



@TollyDollyPosh: what inspires you most when you design a new bag?

My starting points is always colour and materials - this then tends to pull together the design.

@Fiona149Turner: What are the bag trends for the coming season?

For AW13 we're looking at wide shoppers and bowling bags in moody colours like violet, teal and red.

@SocialBeautify: Who would you say is a Fiorelli woman? Who do you have in mind when designing a new collection?

She wants an everyday bag that makes her feel good. I'm inspired by all the ladies I see toting Fiorelli bags.

@TollyDollyPosh: Do you have a target for what you are trying to put across? What is the meaning of Fiorelli Bags?

Fiorelli literally means little flower, it's about making women feel special and confident.



@TollyDollyPosh: What made you want to do fashion? What inspired you? Why did you think it would be a good idea?

My dad's an artist so I grew up with design. At art college I saw fashion & textiles as the direction for me.

@TheFashionNetUK: Whats the best piece of advice you've been given that you would pass on to aspiring designers?


Be prepared to work hard and don't be afraid to be yourself, let your true colours show.

@TollyDollyPosh: What would make a designer stand out for you?

I think the main qualities to look for in an emerging designer are an eye for detail & bags of enthusiasm.

@Pink_syd: Do you have a favourite season to design for?

I love designing for winter so you can play more with metallics, faux fur and faux animal skins.

@Iamnrc: What’s the best way to store handbags?

Keep them in a storage box away from light to avoid discolouration. It's good to keep them stuffed to keep their shape.