Bag lust: Tamara Fogle

I've recently been left reeling after the death of one of my oldest, most useful and most beloved bags. I have masses of bags but one that's large enough to hold a book, my diary and my make-up but small enough to go dancing with - not any more sadly. I've been scouting around for a suitable replacement which is how I came across the bags of Tamara Fogle.

Tamara is a London based bag designer. She works with antique textiles and leather to make really rather lovely bags. I'm not going to pretend these bags are cheap - indeed some of the bigger bags cost serious amounts of cash - but for striking designs that will last well over time, I imagine they are worth every penny. The Pembridge for example, shown above costs £215 and would just as handsome with a smart coat on a work day as with a big scruffy jumper on a weekend.

Her collections are based around different materials. This German promenade purse, which costs £125, is one of a collection made using antique German flour sacks.

If you like the shape of a bag, though not its material, it's worth taking a look around the site as she repeats shapes throughout her collections. Here's the promenade purse again, this time made from colourful vintage mattress ticking. It's also £125. Other bags are made from gorgeously colourful Indian quilts.

However, I think this bag may be my new faithful bag. It's called the explorer. I've fallen for its long strap, serious-looking metal fastener and the gorgeous colour which helps it strike a perfect balance between practical and pretty (though it comes in more conventional colours too). I can imagine it looking even better once it's been around the blocks a few times. Is this enough for me to justify that £199 price tag to myself? Weighed up against all the high street bags I've had fall apart on me, it's probably a sound investment, just one that may have to wait for a while. Luckily it's such a classic design, I don't need to fret too much about it becoming unfashionable in the meantime.

If you want to explore further or are lucky enough to invest in one of the bags, you can find a list of stockists on Tamara's website or email her directly to place an order.