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IRIS
We have always drawn inspiration from the past. From worn leather doctors bags, binoculars cases or old school suitcases, the character of vintage pieces, and the beauty of things made to be kept. But with Iris, we delved a little deeper - beyond just vintage, into the history of fashion design itself.
In the 1920s, Art Deco brought geometry, symmetry and clean, graphic lines into fashion. By the 1930s, designers such as Madeleine Vionnet were transforming the silhouette through fluidity and proportion. Her bias-cut dresses appeared simple, yet their construction was remarkably sophisticated, allowing fabric to follow the natural movement of the body. Vionnet looked to geometry, sculpture and the human form, creating designs that felt modern while remaining remarkably timeless - that would become central to decade’s elegance. It was this idea of simplicity with intention that inspires us.
The 1930s/40s brought a beautiful balance of softness and structure to fashion - from long, elongated lines and sculpted curves designed around movement, to more defined shoulders and tailored forms. Across these decades, fashion was constantly evolving, but the most powerful and iconic designs shared a strong understanding of proportion, silhouette and shape.
Later, designers such as Hubert de Givenchy brought this same restraint into a new era. His work with Audrey Hepburn became associated with an elegant simplicity, using clean lines, precise proportions and silhouettes that allowed the woman, rather than the decoration, to remain the focus. Taking inspiration from fashion design in the early 20th century as a whole, we looked at what has stood out across them: the curve of a silhouette, the balance of proportion, the way a simple shape can create presence without demanding attention.
The Iris takes these ideas and translates them into a new Beara Beara form.
A clean bucket style handbag; a unique shape that echoes the soft geometry of earlier fashion and the sculptural quality of vintage accessories. Its clean, uninterrupted lines create a sense of pared-back elegance, while its considered structure gives it the quiet definition of classic tailoring. We always had the intention of creating two sizes - a considered medium-sized handbag with a little more room, alongside a smaller, mini version for when you want to carry less.
With Iris, even the strap has been considered as part of the silhouette. Designed exclusively for Iris, the bespoke short strap is deliberately unique and refined, with its distinctive links bringing a touch of sculptural detail to the silhouette. Wear it under the arm for elegant evenings or for a more relaxed way of styling choose a Sami strap that can be worn across the body and adjusted to sit relatively short at the side, bringing a more casual ease to the silhouette. The beauty is in having both options: the short strap for a more distinctive close-to-the-body silhouette, and the simple, longer leather strap for everyday versatility.
Nothing has been added simply for the sake of it.
The shape is the detail.
The leather is the character.
The proportions are the design.
We wanted Iris to feel like a piece you might have discovered in another era - yet somehow just as natural in the wardrobe of today.
We are still looking backwards, as we always have, but we are looking deeper now with intention: to the fashion designers, artists, silhouettes and ideas that have influenced the way we understand shape and form.
Because our inspiration isn't simply vintage. It is history.
An elegant silhouette, shaped by the past.
IRIS
ExploreIRIS MINI
ExploreThank you to rollinginroses.co.uk for the beautiful gowns featured in our Iris campaign. Their thoughtful designs, timeless craftsmanship and commitment to conscious fashion made them the perfect addition to this story
A look behind the Iris
For Iris, we wanted to look further into the history of design - not simply collecting vintage references, but understanding why certain shapes and objects have remained so compelling.
We were particularly drawn to the 1920s evening bag as a small architectural object. Often compact and highly popular, these bags used geometric forms, framed openings, graphic hardware and decorative surfaces to create something that was as much an object of design as it was an accessory. This idea of the handbag having its own presence became an important starting point for Iris: a bag that doesn't rely on decoration, but allows its silhouette to create impact.
We also looked at Elsa Schiaparelli, whose approach to accessories in the 1930s blurred the boundaries between fashion, art and object. Her playful use of unexpected fastenings, transformed objects and trompe-l'œil details showed how a familiar form could become memorable through one unexpected idea. For Iris, this encouraged us to think carefully about every element - from the curve of the body to the unique strap detailing - and to let the construction itself become part of the design.
Moving into the 1950s, we looked at the growing idea of the handbag as an instantly recognisable design object. The Hermès Kelly and Chanel 2.55 are examples of how a handle, strap, closure or proportion can become as distinctive as a logo. This reinforced something fundamental in the design of Iris: when the silhouette is considered carefully enough, you don't need to add more.
These ideas also became the foundation for the campaign itself. Rather than recreating one particular decade, we wanted the visuals to borrow the principles of the past - graphic composition, sculptural silhouettes, elegant posture, considered styling and the impact of classic fashion photography.
