Designer DETAIL

Holly Poppins

Now you can buy into the unique, luxurious accessory trend without it costing you an arm and a leg, thanks to the great designs now available at Australian-owned handbag retailer Holly Poppins. Borne out of the frustrations that mother and daughter team Andrina and Julia Young encountered when trying to shop for the perfect handbag, Holly Poppins serves the need for a good quality, trans-seasonal leather handbag that is reasonably priced and reflective of the carrier's personality. "I wanted a handbag that was still in keeping with seasonal trends", says Julia, "but [I also wanted it to stand] out from the millions of handbags I saw around my local shopping centre".

The muses

Armed with the intention that luxury shouldn't be available to the privileged few, Julia and her mother, Julia established Holly Poppins, the name itself a testament to "two of the greatest style icons of all time" - Holly Golightly and Mary Poppins, the main characters behind movie classics Breakfast at Tiffany's and Mary Poppins. "Every girl is intrigued as Mary Poppins reaches into her bottomless carpet bag!" explains Julia, "and Audrey Hepburn's style is timeless and represents what Holly Poppins is about - quality and luxury that transcends seasons".

The Current Range

Autumn/Winter brings new styles and colours to the company's catalogue of great designers, with the cooler weather calling for luxurious textures like crocodile print and vibrant rich colours such as red and yam. As Julia explains, Yam is the newest 'it' colour for 2008, joining fabulous metallic, deep forest greens, rich reds and neutrals such as coffees, tans and blacks. Realising that classic handbags are back in style and bigger than ever, Holly Poppins has created a range of frame handbags that must be carried by hand or overarm like a fifties starlet. Julia's personal recommendation, and the Holly Poppins pick of the season, is none other than the fabulous Sez handbag in chocolate and Yam, with its large tubular straps perfect for the overarm look.

Why go Holly Poppins?

"In the world of fashion accessories, it's clear that the 'it' bag has lost the importance it had a couple of years ago" says Julia, "designer bags with large logos [have given] way to unique bags that hint to your personality". And with a desire to adapt fashionable trends to the 'real woman', the Holly Poppins team does their research by going out and checking to see what's missing from stores, and what could easily update a woman's wardrobe in a simple, functional and cost-effective way. With a fit-everything party clutch in a sparkly colour (The Kristy), and a fabulous carry-all totes (The Rosemary) Holly Poppins has catered to various styles and needs, without compromising on quality and fun. As such, they have chosen buttery-soft leather from Argentina and Italy, so "soft and supple it ages so beautifully", making each handbag more unique with age as it develops its own creases and 'expression lines'.

And with a self-confessed accessories fanatic behind the brand, there's no denying that Holly Poppins is on the up and go. Some of its styles are already sold out, so hop on to www.hollypoppins.com.au and don't miss out!