Been London collaborates with Candice Brathwaite on sustainable handbag

Journalist, author and TV presenter Candice Brathwaite has collaborated with sustainable British accessories brand Been London to create a handbag made entirely from recycled materials.

The limited-edition CB x Been London collection includes the ‘Esmé’ crossbody handbag with ruched detailing, named after Brathwaite’s daughter that is available in ‘Get Money’ green and black, alongside a matching makeup bag and pouch called ‘Mini Esmé’.

The bags are made entirely from certified recycled materials including leather waste from the fashion industry, black lining made from discarded clothes recycled into cotton and an interior pocket featuring zip tape recycled from single-use plastic bottles.

Been London founder and creative director Genia Mineeva said in a statement: “Collaborating with Candice Brathwaite has been an absolute joy. After we spotted her first wearing our Ridley crossbody, we knew with Candice’s incredible sense of style and her love for bags that she would design an incredible bag and we most definitely were not disappointed.

“The Esmé handbag in Candice’s ‘Get Money’ green in particular is the most welcomed new addition to the Been London collection with its stand-out shape and ruched detailing. We have loved going on this journey with Candice and having the chance to chat about the finest sustainable materials and perfect even the smallest details. We are so pleased to have had this opportunity to work with Candice and hopefully this is just the beginning of an amazing collection with her.“

Best-selling author Candice Brathwaite designs sustainable handbag with Been London

Commenting on the collaboration, Candice Brathwaite added: “The process of designing and creating my own bag has been a dream come true and I’m over the moon to be working with Been London.

“It’s a total bonus that the whole collection is made from certified recycled materials and I’ve enjoyed learning about Been London’s sustainability story. I’m in love with the Esmé bag and I can’t wait to take it with me everywhere going into autumn/winter.”

All Been London bags, including pieces from this collaboration, are handmade in the brand’s East London workshop to ensure a low waste production process from start to finish and with makers paid a London living wage.

The brand, founded by former BBC journalist Genia Mineeva, also ensures that each bag created is certified and fully traceable, using Global Recycled Standard certified leather, recycled cotton, and Oekotex Standard 100 certified zip tape. On average, each piece it makes has a carbon footprint ten times smaller than a high street equivalent made from virgin materials.

In addition, for every CB x Been London bag purchased, the accessories brand plants a tree. So far, the brand has planted one acre of trees in the Peruvian Amazon.

CB x Been London collection is available exclusively on been.london. Prices range from 65 pounds for the ‘Mini Esmé’ to 295 pounds for the ‘Esmé’ handbag.