SS17 : Metallic Fever

Welcome to the third instalment of our SS17 fashion guide! It’s time for an old favourite, a passe partout and a key colour trend influencing Pepper Alley designs season after season. You’ve guessed it, it’s time to chat metallics and from silvers and gold to the brassy rose gold hues, we’ve got them all covered!

A common misconception surrounding metallics? The notion that they’re only suitable for evening wear. On the contrary, metallic detailing adds a touch of contemporaneity to any outfit whilst remaining bold yet elegant enough for day and office wear. Take a leaf out of the books of the likes of Jonathan Anderson and Loewe and pair metallics with your office wear in an unashamedly bold and anti comformational fashion like a true #GIRLBOSS. 

Want to have your (metallic) cake and eat it too? Combine two of the biggest SS17 trends and pair metallics with brights (which we discussed in this post). After all, brights are a metallic’s best friend and their pairing always results in an inevitably fresh and vibrant ensemble perfect for injecting some weekend glamour into your wardrobe. Our tip? Add extra glamour to a total bright look with a silver tote.

Think metallics merely revolve around the tones of silver and gold? Think again! Most shades work well in their metallic form and are perfect for creating a sports - luxe city vibe. Tired of Peter Pan collars and fairytale inspiration dominating the catwalk this SS17? Make like an urban princess at Chanel's SS17 show and toughen up your look with a metallic jumpsuit. Alternatively, for a statement that isn’t quite so bold, pair a monochrome jumpsuit with a metallic clutch and let the our Peacock Blue lining do the talking! 

Our ultimate tips when it comes to metallics? It's all down to taking note from the past (rose gold remains very popular, just ask the instagram crowd!) and appreciating that good things come in small packages (like our  Claras, the mini metallic clutches ideal to store your phone, keys and money for a night out!)

Happy Holiday Shopping!

Love,

Pepper Alley HQ  X

( * Fashion Pictures Source: Pinterest )

SS17 : Fairytale Fantasy

Welcome to the second instalment of our picks for SS17 trends! While it is known that summer trends are chosen by designers well in advance and showcased to the fashion world as early as six months ahead, we thought it would make more sense to discuss our favourites now. Let's be honest, it is very difficult to get excited by the prospect of light fabrics and pretty pastels during a UK January where it is raining outside and we're all still getting over the post Christmas blues. However, now is the perfect time to chat summer fashion especially as this heatwave calls for holiday and summer wedding inspiration. So, after declaring our love for brights last week, it is now time for blush hues, ballerina vibes and the fairytale detailing which has dominated the catwalk this SS17.

Marchesa's SS17 show did not hold back when it came to tulle, embellishments and detailing following a more is more approach. The prêt-à-porter, more city appropriate alternative? Accessories! By incorporating blush tones into your outfit and allowing the fairytale trend to sweep into your beauty regime too, this trend can be easily made city and office friendly. Our suggestions? Our blush Clemmie Tote to store all your daily essentials paired with a romantic, heat friendly plait as seen at Valentino's SS17 show.

While this SS17 trend is largely influenced by pink, blush and nude hues, it is certainly not limited to them. In fact, monochrome and darker, more intricate patterns took centre stage at Dior's SS17. Whilst still gorgeous and saturated with layers and detailing, this take on fairytale fashion proves more practical for city dressing and adds an edge to an otherwise very soft look,

Our suggestions for channeling this look? Our creamy Flora clutch in black is perfect when paired with pastel hues to elevate an outfit and keep your look sharp.

Our favourite event showcasing a multitude of SS17 trends all at once? The (almost!) Royal Wedding of course! The bride, Pippa Middleton, channeled fairytale vibes in a bespoke Giles Deacon dress while Kate Middleton and her mother complimented the bride perfectly in Alexander McQueen and Katherine Walker respectively.

Fancy channeling the Royal look at your next wedding? Our pastel Flora clutches are not only perfect for the occasion but also proudly British making you the best dressed guest for a fraction of the price. Oh and if it's your big day this summer, why not show your bridesmaids how special they are to you with our key rings? They come in an array of colours so you can treat your helpers to something they will use everyday and will remind them of your special day!

Happy Summer Shopping!

Love,

Pepper Alley HQ X 

(Fashion Pictures Source : Pinterest )

SS17 : Here Come the Brights!

Seeing that the only certainty surrounding UK weather is its constant uncertainty, you would be forgiven if you were not quite prepared for this heat wave which has graced the country right before the Bank Holiday Weekend. At Pepper Alley, we've been giving summer fashion and dressing a lot of thought over the year. For this reason, we can't wait to share our favourite trends and how they inspired our leather products in three instalments. This week we start with one of our favourites, summer brights!

It all starts with a pop of bright pink at Delpozo's SS17 show ; bold lines, structured sleeves and accessories to match.

It's then the lemon yellow Grecian goddess look; reminiscent of sun, sea, sand and spontaneous, last minute getaways. (Tibi SS17).

While these brights hues may look intimidating, the key to successfully pulling them off is in keeping the rest of your outfit simple and understated, starting with your bag. A few examples? The bright pink can be muted by a clutch bag in the same colour family while the sunshine yellow can be complemented with a grey hued evening bag.

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There has also been a not so subtle nod to orange and purple brights this SS17. Starting from Christian Siriano's look in total orange and finishing with Emporio Armani's SS17 purple detailing, it is evident that these colours have made statetements on the catwalk regardless of whether they dominated the whole outfit or simply elevated it through intricate detailing.

While embracing a ton sur ton with these brights may work well, it may simply make too strong a statement and appear over done. We have the perfect solution : considering that fashion is in the details, our Liberty lining is perfect to give your outfit that matching pop without looking try hard!

 So, here we have it, our carefully curated brights selection for SS17. How will you be wearing your brights this summer? Don't forget to tag us in your instagram looks: @pepper_alley

Love,

Pepper Alley HQ X


(Fashion Pictures Source: Pinterest )

Prêt-à-Instagram? // The New Way to Shop

Happy Friday and Happy Start to the Weekend!

We thought we would enjoy a  little catch up with you today : Show you the new collections, tell you all about where to get our bags as we have had some questions about this and let you into our weird and wonderful world made up of Instagram, leather bags and a little independent London business making its way into the big wide world.

 Instagram : Had you told us 10 years ago that this app would completely revolutionalise the way we browse, shop and consume, we probably would not have believed you. Shopping from the comfort of our sofas with a link in bio? As if! Love it or loathe it, it is evident that Instagram actively influences brand / consumer relationships yet we love the flexibility it gives to our jobs. Customer inquiring about a product price? We’ve got them. Visiting a quirky, new London place we want to tell you about? A quick snap on our stories and we’ve told everyone we know. Looking for some mid – afternoon inspiration? A quick search and a variety of options fill our screens. As you know, we love chatting with you about all things leather bags so, if you haven’t already, give us a follow @pepper_alley 

Shopping our Leather Products: On the subject of instagram, we have received some comments on where to find our bags. They are available on our website, on Not on The High Street and TicTail. You can shop directly from your Instagram by following the link in our bios. See? We told you it was super easy!

New Collections: We are thrilled with the success our Crystal &Denim Collection – personalisation is key to us as is the flexibility to actively respond to our clients’ wishes and produce leather products in a myriad of different colours and styles to suit all needs, tastes and occasions!

Website: Noticed anything new on the website lately? Yes, on our Our Story page, you can now browse our Instagram feed to keep in touch with all things Pepper Alley. Join in on the conversation and don’t forget to chit chat with us on twitter too @Pepper_Alley 

Love,

Pepper Alley HQ X

24 Hours with Pepper Alley

7:00am and it’s the sound of your alarm clock, the leap of faith towards your first cup of coffee, the reach for your keys, phone, Clemmie Tote and phone as you make a mad dash for the door. 11:00am and it’s the steady notes of laptop keyboards, the gossip with your colleagues at lunchtime and the coloured biros spilling from your Edie Pencil Case ready to turn your creative ideas into reality. The afternoon and 15:00pm bring a coffee slump and the distant longing for your bed on your return but you’re soon brought to life by an over enthusiastic colleague and the promise of after work drinks. It’s game on after that and by 17:00pm you’re swept up in a flurry of red lipstick and day to night outfit changes as you’re pulling out a  metallic Flora from your office drawer compact enough to fit all the essentials yet sufficiently sparkly to make a lasting impression. It’s then drinks, dancing and dinner (not necessarily in that order!) and an uber back home and crawling back into bed where you’ll be flicking through social media, uploading a picture and tagging @PepperAlley as you take your makeup off with the pots and potions you keep in your Cecilia Clutch on your bedside table. And tomorrow? Tomorrow, we’ll do it all again, together.

Love from the PA Team X 

Easter: The Ultimate, No Guilt Checklist

All around the Internet, there are copious amounts of articles telling us what to do this Easter, or how to sort out our lives before the Easter break or how we should Spring proof our house and make it perfect before the mad dash. You’ve guessed it, Easter has become the New Christmas and yes, we’re a little tired of these articles telling us how we should act and adding to our guilt of not being, well, perfect. Here’s our ultimate checklist this Easter: feel free to share it, tag your girlfriends or add your own suggestions – pass the prosecco and Happy Easter from Pepper Alley HQ to you!

The Cards : As we have already established, Easter is not quite Christmas so gone is the sense of guilt for not sending a card to every. single. acquintance. Our nearest and dearest will receive only the best, thank you very much, and we couldn’t help but fall for these gorgeous card courtesy of Kikki K.  

(Image Courtesy of @kikki.k )

The Holidays: We get exactly four days off work ( if we’re lucky!) and we know we won’t be spending them tyding up the house, completely glued to social media or frantically trying to cram meet ups with every single one of our friends we haven’t seen in over 10 years. All we really want to do is grab our Clemmie tote, head outside in search of adventure and spontaneously get on with our weekend. Our only certainty? The big Sunday lunch we will have with our loved ones, of course.

The Shopping: The proximity to pay day and the adrenalin inducing chocolate binges mean that after our family roast, we will be ready to SHOP. What will the object of our desires be? A classic Clemmie Tote? A Florence clutch to assist our Wedding / Holiday Season Needs? Or an Edie Pencil Case to give us just the right motivation to return to work on Tuesday without sulking? The possibilities are endless.

The Minimal House Work: We don’t like the idea of Spring cleaning, detoxing our surroundings or cleaning the house from top to bottom. A slab of white paint, the promise of some Scandi inspired interiors and an inexpensive bunch of fresh sunshine blooms are enough to liven up any space and add some much needed warmth after a cold Winter.

(Images courtesy of @pepper_alley and @msminimalist )

The Fashion: Fuss free, clean lines and minimalistic aestethics are what we will be coveting. Our favourite blush clemmie tote, stripey top and fuss free hair allow us to enjoy our weekend of freedom and give our mind and body a much needed rest. Check out our look book for more style inspiration.

Happy Holidays!

Pepper Alley HQ X 

Breakfast in London - 5 best places for brunch

How do you like your eggs in the morning? We like ours with a Clemmie Tote!

We love brunch and we love our leather products - so far, so good. Yet with Easter break looming and the promise of four whole days to do whatever you please, the ocean of possibility stretching before you may appear overwhelming. We've rounded up the best places in London to brunch in along with style typs so your only worry will be getting out of bed. Book a spot, bring your friends & tag us in your pictures @pepper_alley.

Sketch: We love tea, we love cake and we love it when the restaurant’s interiors match our Clemmie Tote. (@sketchlondon)

Granger & Co: Yes,  this is definitely the spot to order those pancakes and yes, it’s in Notting Hill so dress up with a wine Clemmie tote for a perfectly put together and polished look. Bonus points for incorporating stripes to blend in with those yummy mummies. (@granger&co)

Farm Girl: Australian, hippy atmosphere – happy people, a fresh new menu launched only two days ago…need we say more?! Channel the feel good vibes with our personalised Floras from our #denim&crystals collection and you won’t regret it. (@farmgirlcafe)

BobBob Ricard: Three words: Press. For. Champagne. Any place which encourages champagne consumption before the reccomended 12pm is our kind of place. Dress to impress with our bold clutches in silver and gold metallic finish. (@bobbobricard)

No.197 Chiswick Fire Station: The place to see and be seen. Take your laptop, pack your posh pens in our Edie pencilcase and prepare to spend the morning working (line through) people watching. #officegoals. (@no197chiswickfirestation)

Happy Brunching!

Pepper Alley HQ X

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*Instagram Picture Credits Used Throughout*