ONLY NATURAL
Bag yourself a unique basket or tote
Every Straw London bag has a different origin – it might have been found in a market in northern France or spotted at a vintage boutique in Los Angeles – and comes with its own name, chosen by the company’s founder, Emily Attrill, as a way of expressing its distinctive identity. The baskets and totes she sources are one-offs, usually dating back to the 1950s, but as she explains, ‘people have treated them with such love and care that they’re still in fantastic condition’.
Last year, Attrill opened her boutique in Hackney, where she sells the bags alongside artisanal homeware and beauty products, as well as hosting regular craft workshops. She is particularly fond of retro macramé carriers – ‘intricate, but very sturdy’ – as well as wicker egg baskets, which are so versatile she uses hers all year round. bt Straw London, 71a Wilton Way, London E8 (www. strawlondon.co.uk).