The Catwalk Collection Story

Catwalk Collection Handbags started up in 2004 and has been on an epic ride ever since. From humble beginnings the company has grown steadily, spreading its wings from the UK to France, followed by Germany, then Italy and finally Spain. Today, Catwalk Collection leather handbags and accessories are available to buy online throughout the whole of Europe.

So how did it all begin? Back in 2002, there were many handbags available in the marketplace but none that our founder Jane Alison Abbatt wanted to actually use. She says, ‘It was a bit like the three bears story, some bags were ridiculously expensive, some bags didn’t have enough pockets inside and if I was lucky enough to find one with a good selection of pockets at the right price, it was either terribly old-fashioned or an ugly colour. I figured that if I wanted a leather handbag that I liked, I’d have to make one myself!’ After many months of research, design and development, the dream that was Catwalk Collection Handbags was finally realised and the first handbags went on sale.

The company now works very closely with select tanneries and factories, sourcing the best leathers and ensuring a high standard of craftsmanship. Prices can be kept realistic as there is no middle man; all products are sold online direct to the consumer.

And the inspiration for the name? Jane says, ‘When I was a baby, my mother found a tiny black kitten playing with the leaves in the middle of the road outside our home. She took it in and looked after it, hoping that its owner would see one of the posters she had stuck up on lamp posts around our neighbourhood. She even knocked on doors but no-one claimed the lost little kitten. As time passed, the kitten made itself at home with us and became a beloved member of our family. Chloe, as she was named, lived happily to a ripe old age of twenty five years old. The company name is simply a combination of my love for cats and my passion for fashion. The logo is in the image of Chloe the cat.’