#MYKINGLY
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON the smythson journal - february 2017
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Inspired by an icon, the Kingly tote bag takes its Nile Blue hue from our signature Smythson packaging. Designed to be as on-the-go as you are, the Kingly is the large enough for your laptop, gym kit and whatever else you need to carry around, but has also been crafted from the softest leather, so you will never feel weighed down. To celebrate the launch of the Kingly, we caught up with experts in the worlds of fashion, fitness and far-away travel to discover how they’ll be using theirs.
Kelly Eastwood (a.k.a The London Chatter) is a lifestyle blogger and girl about town based in London’s Notting Hill. Originally from Kenya, Kelly tries to visit home as much as possible, which means she’s something of a packing professional. Kelly recently designed seven charity Masai-bead inspired bracelets with Auree Jewellery, so always carries a bag through the airport full of materials and samples.
“I always carry two bags; one large, one small. During the day whilst whizzing around London the large bag carries all the things I either pick up or drop off at meetings, whilst the small cross-body carries the essentials I need quick access to; My orange Smythson’s Mara card wallet, iPhone 6 Plus, Lipstick, mints and keys.“
Quentin Jones is a filmmaker, illustrator and animator known for her striking collages, bold videos and mixed media artworks. A few years ago, her standout pieces started to catch the eyes of the fashion world and since then, she has worked on projects with brands and publications including Chanel, iD Magazine, Opening Ceremony and, of course, Smythson. Quentin is based between New York and London, and is constantly jetting between the two with her Kingly packed full of her portfolio and papers. When she’s not on the go she advocates taking time out of her busy schedule to relax and minimise the risk of burning out—”taking some time to do something like yoga or meditation is so important in helping me disengage and put everything down.”
“The Kingly is the bag I take on the aeroplane to fly to New York. It’s the perfect size for collection references, storyboards and photocopies as well as my laptop, for when I’m running between clients and meetings.”
Boyarde's creations are instantly recognisable. The artist, who is known for painting unique works of art on handbags, notebooks (and pretty much anything else), is fascinated by old-school glamour and many of her creations feature one of her Boyarde Divas who are “fearless, ever so sassy, with a whiff of old Hollywood and definitely an arched eyebrow.” We visited Boyarde’s colourful Peckham studio to find out how the Kingly helped her keep her busy life in check.
“In addition to a mini sketch pad for jotting down things that inspire me—like fabulous quotes—depending on the time of year, I always carry a mini umbrella, ear muffs or sunglasses.”
Fiona Leayh is a party girl. The event planner is known for creating beautiful events for the rich and famous (she was the woman behind Dita Von Teese and Marilyn Manson’s gothic wedding) and is known as being the life and soul of every party she designs and attends. By day, a clutch bag is swapped for her Kingly bag—large enough for samples, business cards and a candle or two. The Kingly is inspired by our signature packaging, so we asked Fiona what her signature would be…
“I recently coined a phrase for what I’m doing with event decor—'matchimalism' (when maximalism matches). I would like to be known for that and of course my sense of humour.”