The Duchess of Cambridge has a new sleek designer handbag

The Duchess of Cambridge’s ladylike top handle bags have become a hallmark of her royal style. Her collection of Aspinal of London Midi Mayfairs, Mulberry Mini Seatons and Manu Atelier Pristines has been much-documented. Now, Kate has added a new designer handbag to her classic edit.

Like many, the Duchess appears to have spent lockdown musing on investment buys that will stand the test of time. Her new Grace Han Love Letter bag is sleek, with discreet branding and hardware, and compact yet capacious. The envelope closure is Taiwanese-British designer Han’s tribute to romantic correspondence of past, present and future – hence its sweet name. The elegant design is perfect for a modern-day duchess, whose accessories always bear significance – be it a diplomatic nod or an ode to her family’s heritage.

For Han, who founded her leather goods brand in 2019, this PR boost will prove invaluable during a difficult period for fashion brands. Her meticulously-crafted accessories – Han’s signature Ballet Lesson bags took seven years to finesse—are created for “multifaceted, profound” women looking for quality, timeless pieces to house their personals in. The Duchess’s £1,595 Love Letter bag, which is made in Italy but fuses Eastern and Western design sensibilities, is as much a statement about herself, as it is Han.

Kate framed her new purchase against a tomato-red double-breasted coat while visiting the unveiling of portraits from her Hold Still community photography project in Waterloo. Upon launching the initiative in May, the royal received over 31,000 entries from members of the public. Last month, she unveiled a curated edit of 100 images in a digital exhibition, and now select pictures are on display in 80 areas across the UK, bringing the lockdown stories of individuals back to their communities. Visiting the South London exhibition seemed like a poignant time for Kate to premiere her new handbag which, in turn, is loaded with meaning.

This story originally appeared on Vogue.co.uk

Also read:

6 of Kate Middleton's sold-out Zoom looks that you can recreate with pieces from Zara, H&M and more

5 labels you will always find in Kate Middleton's closet