“We set out to create exellence. We want to make products of beauty that endure. It's that simple and we won't compromise.”

Libby Thomson, Founder

Leathers

We source our AAA class leathers worldwide on the recommendations from a leather sourcing expert who whispers the best kept secrets in our ears. It is so interesting...therefore, we source the best, not restricted by country bias.

We also attend trade leather fairs around the world to see what is developing. We only buy leathers with REACH and ISO compliance.

Many of our leathers are coloured by hand to our specifications. Such quality of leather guarantees our products are long lasting, the most suited to the design and have excellent touch and finish.

Design

Beautiful strong shapes, exceptional quality and a love of making products that will endure: that's what inspires us. We love testing our models with real women to see what you want, love and need. It is a process of refinement until we have our Cecily Clune bag.

We use the bee as our brand statement because it represents practical industry, great design for purpose and goodness.

Craftsmanship

We use a father and son, Japanese manufacturer who have work rooms in Tokyo, Japan and Hui Zhou in China. They practice the kind of slow but precise artisanship that is dying out everywhere and we are privileged to work with this team. Our bags are different because of this. They are not mass produced and it shows.

All pattern making is done by our Japanese master craftsman and his quality controls are second to none. All our bags are made by hand by experienced artisans he has trained over decades. It is increasingly hard to find this level of craftsmanship and commitment to their craft in the world.

A good bag needs x amount of hours. You can't cheat your way into it.

Zippers

We use the Japanese YKK brand, the most reliable zippers in the world. We choose the Excella quality which is the highest quality made by YKK with fully polished elements. The shiny beautiful look creates a luxury appearance and guarantees reliable use for our bags and accessories.

Metal parts

Depending on the intended use, our metal hardware is made of zamak or brass. Our gold plated hardware has a gold 0.02 mu to 0.1 mu finish. When necessary, E coat is used to protect them.

"What we have made with Cecily Clune is exquisite. The results speak for themselves. We spent a lot of time on detail to get it just right and made a distinctive combination of hardware that was not only functional, but positions Cecily Clune up there with the design giants of the handbag world. It has been a pleasure to work with Libby and her team to make something of excellence that we are personally very proud of."

James Adelstein, President - Metal Dynamics Providence RI, USA

Edge paint

The sign of a luxury bag is the quality of the edge paint used on raw leather edges. Ours is applied by hand and buffed, applied by hand and buffed. This is repeated 6 times. The many thin layers ensure that it thoroughly bonds and will not peel off.

Reinforcements

Reinforcements are what gives our bags strength, reliability and proper form for a long life. Each selection of reinforcement is tailor made for the specific design by our master craftsman. All handle tabs are reinforced with mesh to ensure they cannot tear away.

Linings

Our linings are either calf leather, goat leather or woven textiles formulated for handbags. These textiles are tightly woven in such a way that resists dust transfer, can be easily wiped clean and always look neat. Cecily Clune signature lining is red.