In 1988 Roger Vergé, a Michelin star chef, was collecting an award at The Savoy Hotel. Viewing the Rabbit travel bags in the showcase by the American bar, he promptly placed an order for the entire collection to sell in the atelier attached to his celebrated restaurant, Le Moulin de Mougins. For the next 12 years, an order would arrive every few months for Weekend and Overnight bags to be bought by the film and art world visitors. Each January, Roger and his wife, Denise, would commission an artist to commemorate each year which would be sent to their suppliers as a thank you for the past year. I cherish these prints by many revered artists including this work by Theo Tobiasse

A studio is a sanctuary for the creating process. An insight into this world.

Synonymous with luxury travellers since 1889, The Savoy hotel was the perfect showcase to display and sell Bags by Bernadette.

In 1989, with two shops and two babies (well, pregnant with her second son), Bernadette arrived in New York determined to sell her collection to Bergdof Goodman.

In 1981, Covent Garden was in the early days of its transformation into a prime location for shopping, eating and promenading. At its heart and the first stage of development was the Apple Market with 40 stunning wrought iron and wood stalls. Alongside, arcades of small shops housed high end specialist retail with select restaurants anchoring each corner of the site.

In 1976, I secured a job at Angels costumiers. There are many stories about this wonderful chapter in my life which directed me in making a career in textiles. Here’s one of them.

In 1990, I decided to explore the U.S. market having secured a showcase for my bags in Bergdoff Goodman in New York (a separate story to follow on that coup) and Gumps in San Francisco…

Mr.Davis ran the men’s cutting room in Angels, the legendary costumiers in London's theatreland. Always dapper, with a waistcoat that had special pockets for his tailor's chalk and woven tape measure, he would receive many stars of the stage and screen in his first floor fitting room.

Having failed A-level Textiles and Dress, I left school at 17 and secured an apprenticeship in cutting, design and tailoring at Angels Theatrical Costumiers in the heart of London’s theatreland.