About Us
Quintessentially British, Lulu Guinness is an iconic handbag brand with a legacy-making heritage - as the originator of witty, playful bags to place proudly on the table, not on the floor.
Where it all began
It all started with a brief case, in 1989, when its then 29-year-old founder and creative director designed a ladylike attaché case containing convenient pockets for just about everything. How subversive!
Driven by her own style - vintage-inspired and ladylike, with a tongue-in-cheek twist - Lulu began creating the hand-held treasures that made her name. Her first foray was a basket of red roses.
“My life changed in 1993 when I designed the Florist Basket”, remembers Lulu. “It was a black, silk satin handbag shaped like a vase with red velvet roses on top. It caught everyone’s imagination. The success of that bag taught me to dare to be different.”
As well as daring to be different - a phrase coined by one of her heroes, the Surrealist couturier and fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli - Lulu was carving out another niche with the Rose Basket and other handmade playful creations.
“I very much liked the idea of my bags being a conversation piece. Handbags you put on the table not the floor. Also, these bags were very tongue and cheek. Life’s short so you may as well cheer people up if you can.”
A Cult Following
The distinctive Dali-esque Lips Clutch remains the brand’s most recognisable accessory, transporting the Surrealist art movement into mainstream popular culture. Never afraid to push boundaries, Lulu’s sophisticated silhouettes and witty embellishments have become cult favourites around the globe. And regularly seen on the arms of trailblazing women, such as Bella Hadid, Kate Moss, Gillian Anderson, Clara Amfo and Blanca Miro.
WHAT WE DO BEST
Bold, individual, witty…bags with personality run deep in the Lulu Guinness DNA. We do classic handbags, with a signature Lulu twist, colourful cross-bodies for girls-in-a-hurry and playful totes inspired by knitting bags! Not forgetting our fondness for a night out - you’ll need a collectable clutch for that. Just try not to stay out all night.
