Kate Middleton dress designer on her handbag line, fashion trends and the joys of living in London

Plenty has changed since Serbian-raised London-based designer Roksanda Ilincic last visited Hong Kong in 2012. Although she continues to have a cult following among stylish and powerful women, including Michelle Obama, the Duchess of Cambridge and Tilda Swinton, her business has flourished after a minority investment from Indian businesswoman Eiesha Bharti Pasricha.

After opening her first boutique in London, she has expanded her offerings to include a fully fledged handbag line, which showcases her love of colour and geometric details.

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“I wanted to introduce bags in a different way. The market is so saturated, it was important that we had a strong point of view. The collection speaks to our DNA with the colours and architectural shapes, but at the same time it’s feminine,” she says.

“I’m not a fan of hardware so it’s not used in a classical way for closures but as handles, so it becomes part of the design. We have bags you can wear with everything and every day, but also that bag that doesn’t go with anything, which I love even more.”

Ilincic is often referred to as a “woman’s” designer thanks to her elegant yet easy pieces that feature bold shapes, bright colours and couture details and appeal to those with a strong personal style.