INTRODUCING THE UTOPIA COLLECTION

THE BASKET ROOM WORKS WITH BRITISH A DESIGNER TO LAUNCH COLLECTION OF LUXURY BUCKET BAGS AND WOVEN TOTES

A hopeful project born out of the winter UK lockdown, these luxury Kenyan-made bucket bags, totes and crossbody bags were dreamed up by The Basket Room co-founder Camilla Sutton and British designer Hannah Harrison - whose previous clients include Lulu Guinness, Paul Smith and Jigsaw.

Available from 1st June only at thebasketroom.com

Each piece in this exclusive collection speaks to a longing for freedom, joy and connection, and is the work of many pairs of skilled hands. From rural Kenyan basket weavers to one single embroidery artist, a group of exceptional leatherworkers and a brazier in Nairobi, each handwoven piece is a symbol of unity and a triumph of traditional craftsmanship.

Featuring colourways, styles and motifs that represent hope and togetherness, The Utopia Collection connects maker and owner intrinsically through these vibrant, sustainable crafts.

BUCKET BAGS

There are three bucket bags in The Utopia Collection, bearing three designs which each capture the spirit of the project. Rainbow hues have been reworked in hip checks for one of the three bucket bag designs: JUA.

A second bucket bag – RASHA - features a black, white and grey checkerboard pattern. Its checks are a bold and brash departure from its cottagecore cousin – gingham - that brings this accessory right up to date as fashion leans into a more expressive way of dressing and accessorising.

HEWA bears a curious pair of eyes on its side against a natural base. Each eye has been meticulously hand embroidered by Nduta - a gifted artist living and working in Nairobi - with whom we have collaborated for several years.

TOTES

Woven totes have always formed the core of our basket bag production. Together we designed a woven tote in each of the three Utopia designs, with some thoughtful design features to bring enhanced versatility to the pieces.

Each tote features beautifully crafted leather shoulder straps which can be adjusted with the use of a recycled brass buckle, so you can wear yours high or low under the arm - or in the crook of your arm if preferred.

The totes come in rainbow stripes (UPINDE) monochrome checks (MVUA), and the embroidered eye motif (MOTO)

CROSSBODY

WINGU is a black, white and grey checkerboard crossbody with zip closure, which will bring practicality and sustainable style to any look.

THE MAKERS

Each piece in The Utopia Collection has been produced by a Kenyan weaving group we have partnered with since the very beginning of The Basket Room. These women have previously worked with us on collaborations with LUSH and Jigsaw. When they’re not working on special projects like this, they produce our popular woven shoppers, sisal laundry baskets and banana fibre baskets.

A small team of Nairobi leatherworkers produced and hand stitched all leather straps, bucket bag liners, trims and bag labels. One single brass worker produced each item of bag hardware - buckles, beads, dog clips and D-rings - from recycled scrap metal using a traditional ‘lost wax’ bronze casting technique.