Jacey Lamerton

Mind you, her designs definitely have a distinct 'look' of their own - and with each bag individually designed for the client and handmade by Jacey - she can currently only make three bags a week - there's a growing waiting list for these very exclusive accessories.

Jacey originally hails from Tracey Emin's home town of Margate ('Growing up in Margate gives you a strangely unique view of the world', says Jacey) but now lives in a village in North Yorkshire, where she designs and makes all the bags in her picturesque cottage.

Her former career as a journalist and television PR in London meant she had to attend lots of red carpet events, fashionable parties and exclusive clubs, rubbing shoulders with celebrities and successful businesswomen.

She laughs: 'My life today is totally and utterly different - and I love it! Bringing up two small boys in a tiny Yorkshire village is like living on a different planet, but we all have a great life. I now understand the term 'culture shock' but, five years down the line, I'm so pleased we made the move.

'But my life changes have taught me that whether you're an actress receiving an Oscar or a guest at your niece's Christening, everyone deserves to wear something special. I hate the fact that High Streets up and down the country are identikit copies of each other. I want people to be more adventurous - I know it's only clothes, but it's empowering, fun and healthy to express yourself through what you're wearing.

'You might not want your outfit to scream 'look at me!' but you do want to stand out from the crowd to a certain extent. Starlets can do it by wearing next to nothing. For us real women, a fabulous bag will do the trick!'

Until recently, Alfie Sixpence bags were strictly bespoke, but Jacey has recently launched an off-the-peg range - although each bag is still unique and totally unrepeatable, as they are created from vintage fabrics, embroidered and beaded by hand and sometimes adorned with vintage jewellery.

She explained: 'With the bespoke bags, individual clients contact me to create a bag to complement a specific outfit - often for a wedding, the races, a Christening or a ball. There's a specific Alfie Sixpence style, but I consult closely with the client on colour, size and decoration and create a bag just for them.

'But earlier this year, I decided I wanted to expand the business and so I started work on a new range. I scour auctions, the internet, charity shops and markets both here and abroad for vintage fabrics - often silks - and then work into the fabrics with embroidery, beading, sequins, whatever looks good. And I usually find a suitable piece of vintage jewellery to go on the bags, too. So each design is absolutely unique and unrepeatable.

'Alfie Sixpence has grown pretty much through word of mouth,' explains Jacey, 'It all started when I made a bag for myself and it snowballed from there. It's wonderful to receive orders from all corners of the UK and now from overseas. And my clients send such wonderful letters when they've received their bags! I'm determined to keep things small and exclusive. In the age of mass production, my business is all about the personal touch.'