Designing the Lily
There are days when a smaller handbag is just what you need, when you want to downsize the amount of stuff you are carrying. This is where our mini cross body handbag comes to the rescue.
Designed because I had received requests for a smaller pouch handbag that could be used as an insertion in our Dahlia handbag or separately as small bag for evenings or casual moments when you simply do not need a large handbag.
So with the design brief clear in my head I began the process of design. It was important that the handbag was not over sized, that it had the same internal finish as our other handbags - using our signature neoprene lining and had a zip at the top making it easy to open and if you need to put more stuff in the bag then it naturally expands. To complete the look the cross body strap was designed using our beautiful silver nickel chain.
For extra versatility the handbag can also be joined to another Lily to create your own personal touch when styling the handbag to match your outfit. Its very easy to do by simply clipping the bags together using snap hooks on the end of the chain strap. This mix and match ability is great as you really can design your own combination.
After much testing it was time to name the handbag. This time I chose the Lily as my inspiration for the naming. Unlike most other flowers, the perennial Lily never truly goes dormant. The strength and beauty of this flower has cemented its place in the cultures of the world and with such an elegant look, it’s no wonder the flower means
- royalty and regal bearing
- purity and the beauty of youth
- passion and drive
- renewal and rebirth
There are hundreds of different true lilies but they all fall under the same Lilium genus. Lilium is a Latin term and was derived from the Greek term leirion, a word that traces back through numerous civilisations to one of the first words for flower. This shows the importance of the Lily flower through the centuries and millenia!
Both the Greeks and Romans held the Lily in very high regard, including it in dozens of their religious myths and breeding the plants extensively. Alchemists considered it a lunar plant with feminine qualities, while the Lily is in high demand in China for weddings because its name sounds like the start of a phrase wishing the couple a happy union for a century. Chinese friends and family members also give the flower to people who have experienced a recent loss because it is believed to help relieve heartache. This flower simply felt like the perfect name for one of our handbags! There are many different varieties (which is another reason to call the handbag the Lily (we can design many versions of the handbag) but my favourite is the white striped pink flower known as the Stargazer Lily. It symbolises ambition and is meant to give encouragement when a difficult challenge appears. Finally here is an interesting thought associated with the Lily flower -
"Take a regal stance and embrace your own power. Remember that renewal is just around the corner and that the end of one thing heralds the beginning of another". A very fitting thought for a Sarah Haran handbag.
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