Welcome to my studio

This is where the magic happens! Come behind the scenes at my cosy little studio in Stockwell, South London to see the love that goes into all the products I sell in my shop.

First, we’ll look at some of the materials I use. And then I’ll show you how I make a Miss Budd purse.

Materials

I’ve spent years sourcing and experimenting with different fabrics and leather. This means that all of my products are made from the very finest materials I can find. Let’s take a look…

Silk

My exclusive silk designs are digitally printed in the UK, producing rich, dazzling colours.

Leather

All my leathers come from a family run business in West London. End-of-line skins mean my limited edition runs are fantastic quality and great value.

Recycled REPREVE®

This clever fabric was once plastic bottles! REPREVE® cloth is 100% made from recycled plastic and is soft, strong and vibrant when printed.

Polka dot cotton

Big bags are lined with cheerful polka dot cotton, which is durable and stays looking fresh year after year.

Printed satins

My purses and make up bags are lined with screen printed satin in a variety of colours - all with my Miss Budd logo.

Zips

It’s all in the details! One example of the love I put into everything I make is my signature Miss Budd love heart zip.

Let’s make a purse

  • Come behind the scenes

    You’d be surprised at all the work that goes into this little purse.

    Click on the pink arrow buttons to follow the 6 steps it takes to make one of my beautiful Love Birds purses.

  • 1. Choosing materials

    Leathers are graded and the bodies of the purses are cut out by hand, avoiding natural imperfections. The leather panels are then carefully mounted onto paper so that the imagery can be printed in exactly the right position and the screen printed layers can align.

  • 2. Hand printing

    My inks are mixed by hand in preparation for printing. Designs are created to slot together like a jigsaw puzzle and then handprinted. The screen printing process produces colour and image one layer at a time.

  • 3. Skiving

    My leathers are put through a skiving machine. This machine removes the underside of the leather making the leather thinner and the turning and stitching process much easier.

  • 4. Stitching

    The leather purse bodies are stitched face to face on a walking foot leather machine. They are then turned right side out. The linings are cut and stitched ready to be put into the purses.

  • 5. Linings and labels

    Next my linings are popped in. I make them in a variety of colours and match each one to the printed leather. These are stitched into place along with my famous Miss Budd label.

  • 6. Framing

    My frames are put onto my purses by hand. First, the purse is pushed into the opening of the frame with ‘lifters’ -these are specially adapted pliers. Then the frame is closed using a hammer and stand. You have to be careful as too much pressure will cut the purse and without enough pressure, the frame will fall off!

  • 7. Ta-da!

    And here’s the finished purse ready for its proud new owner! From big leather totes to little silk make up bags, everything I produce is made to the same meticulous standards.