In a time when global brands dominate the luxury handbag market, it is becoming more and more difficult to find that extra special item. However for the fans of beautiful bags there is a unique hidden gem to be found in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, A Few Fine Things. They are modern British bag makers at their best; as you step into their studio and shop in the heart of the Northern Quarter, you feel you have discovered something very special. Beautifully crafted bags sit along side tools and rolls of leather. There is also the unique story of the owners and the bag making processes which makes A Few Fine Things the ones to watch. 

Stuart Randle and Francesca Salvini, partners both in and outside of work, founded A Few Fine Things in 2007 with incredibly diverse backgrounds. Francesca has a degree in Fine Art combined with a passion for textiles, fashion, art and colour; she also previously co-founded Temporary Measure until 2007 and winner of Shell Live Wire Manchester’s Young Entrepreneur of the year award in 2004.  Stuart’s employment history includes natural science, photography and design, as well as time spent casting gold teeth and working as tree surgeon. These diverse histories have formed a unique and lasting design and manufacturing partnership.

They both agreed that it was important to make bags that were going to last and it was by moving to the luxurious, more durable end of the market that A Few Fine Things have defined where they stand in the market now. The couple’s real passion for material, craftsmanship and excellence meant that their bags needed structure and form leading them to develop their own processes for manufacturing bags in house, in Manchester, even on a small scale.  

Drawing on all aspects of their previous experience, Francesca Salvini & Stuart Randle’s passion for science, design and art has made the perfect combination for bag making. They are interested in the process and unconventional techniques of making bags; it is hard to find a passion as strong as theirs so much so that they are determined to maintain all of their manufacturing in Britain.  

Unlike a lot of the other bag making companies who outsource the whole or at least part of their production, A Few Fine Things stand unique nationally, their bag production takes place on site in their workshop with complex processes that they have developed.  

Another unique and incredible element of their offering is the bespoke bag making service A Few Fine Things provide, bringing quite a regal touch to their service. Whether it is the design of the bag, the material used, the straps or buckles, Francesca and Stuart offer a bespoke service that really is distinctive in the bag-making world. The fantastic Norman Musa, Owner and Head Chef at Ning, Manchester had a Ning branded bag made especially for him before he set off on his travels as the Lotus Formula 1 teams Head Chef ‘Norman wanted something very distinctive and classic that could have the Ning label embossed onto the bag and that would withstand all of the travelling he does’ said Francesca Salvini, Founder, A Few Fine Things. 

Their bags are luxurious yet practical, country chic yet also very modern.  Above all else the bags are classically British. They appeal to a diverse range of customers both nationally and internationally. 

Their bags start from the aesthetics but as both Francesca and Stuart said ‘We make bags for people’. The focus on the customer and the bag as a practical item has ensured a loyal following and a growing number of admirers. The customer remains a part of the process through all of the stages as the bag is made, making it feel personal and special, again something that is often lacking in the bag industry. 

There is one thing for sure, if you buy a bag from A Few Fine Things, you will have something truly unique. Not only will you have a modern British bag that is manufactured in Britain but it will also be fashionable, a classic and will last forever. If you are in the Northern Quarter their shop is an absolute necessity to drop into, they are also online at www.afewfinethings.com so you can see the fantastic bags before you make a visit to the shop.