Our newest bag: Secret Garden
Discover the latest addition to the Keecie collection: the Secret Garden – a conversation with designer Klaartje de Hartog.
How did the idea for this new bag come about?
"I noticed a lot of young people around me wearing handbags slung over one shoulder. That wasn’t something we had in our collection yet, so I wanted to experiment with it. Since many Keecie fans really love the crossbody strap, I decided to combine both options in one bag.
The shoulder strap this time is a leather cord that can be shortened using a clever trick. When the cord is doubled up, it becomes two short handles for your bag. Voilà, you’ve got yourself a baguette bag: wear it over one shoulder and tuck it nonchalantly under your arm. A playful nod to the French, who stroll around with a baguette under their arm!”
Where did you get the inspiration for the print?
“I was at my parents' house and came across a binder full of my mother’s sketches from her student days. In the early 1960s, she studied Architecture in Delft – one of the few women in her course. The folder contained botanical drawings, likely for a study assignment.
I was instantly struck by the lively sketching style she used to capture flowers and plants. She’s now quite elderly and a bit frail, so it’s extra special to come across these little surprises now and then!
For Secret Garden, I used her drawing of the black pine as the foundation. While digitising it, I made a few tweaks to make it suitable for screen printing. I also added some tiny insects to give the print a more lively feel.”
What look were you aiming for during the design process?
“I wanted the bag to have a playful yet stylish appearance. The leather cord and the way the bag is constructed give it a bit of a bold edge. We spent quite some time working out how to create surprisingly spacious storage in such a small bag. This design went through several samples before we got everything just right.
The result is a very cleverly designed base: it’s quite wide, which means you can fit more into this small bag than you’d expect. It holds a small wallet like the Mini Me or Cat Chase Small, along with your phone and keys. And of course, there’s also a small compartment where you can safely store a loose card.”
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
“We’re really excited about this new addition to the collection, and we’re so curious to see all the wonderful places you’ll take it!”