SAMANTHA’S SOUVENIR: Britain’s first lady Samantha Cameron has put Sophie Hulme, one of London’s emerging accessories talents, under the spotlight this week.
Cameron gave the Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan a charcoal Sophie Hulme Albion square bag as a gift during an official visit to London.
The gray leather tote features gold hardware embellishments and is priced at 550 pounds, or $846 at current exchange. It is sold at Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.
A graduate of Kingston University, the London-based designer received a British Fashion Award for emerging talent in 2012.
“We’re pleased we are flying the flag for British design,” Hulme told WWD.
Chinese president Xi Jinping and first lady Peng Liyuan are on an four-day tour to the UK this week and have taken part in a range of meetings, including a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.