Art You Can Carry: Discover the New Carrol Boyes Leather Handbag Collection

A handbag might seem an unlikely place to find a sculpture, but for Carrol Boyes, the idea made perfect sense. In the early 2000s, the celebrated South African designer began exploring how her distinctive approach to functional art could move beyond the home and become something people could carry with them. Inspired by her own everyday crossbody bag, she created a collection of leather accessories featuring the sculptural figures and metallic details that had become synonymous with her work.

Over the years, the designs evolved. Early handbags, wallets and purses featured distinctive pewter hardware, followed by grey leather pieces designed to develop character with wear, woven styles and new interpretations of familiar forms.

Now, more than two decades later, Carrol Boyes is returning to leather with a new handbag collection launching this October. This time, it’s Carrol’s niece, Creative Director Caro Boyes, who is revisiting the archives, taking some of the brand’s most recognisable sculptural motifs and giving them a fresh perspective.

The collection centres on three designs: Diver, Toe Touch and Cradle, each with its own story and connection to the brand’s heritage.

Diver first appeared as a zipper pull and handle detail on Carrol’s early leather accessories. In the new collection, the figure takes on a much more prominent role, becoming the focal point of two Flap Bags and a Phone Pouch. Captured in mid-motion, the sculptural detail introduces a playful sense of movement to the contemporary silhouettes.

Toe Touch has an equally interesting history. Originally discovered among Carrol’s early prototype sculptures, the figure is captured in an elegant forward stretch. Caro has reimagined it as the defining detail of the Chain Purse, bringing an unexpected sculptural element to a compact everyday accessory.

Then there’s Cradle, a design that first appeared on one of Carrol’s leather pieces in 2004. Its abstract, embracing figure returns on two studded Phone Pouches and the collection’s standout Studded Slouch Bag, combining a familiar motif with a softer, more relaxed shape.

The leather choice is as important as the sculptural details. Selected for its balance of softness and structure, the material lets each bag hold its shape while staying comfortable and practical for everyday use. Metallic hardware provides the finishing touch, giving the collection that unmistakable Carrol Boyes character.

“I wanted to take our sculptural design language beyond the home, creating art you can carry,” says Caro Boyes, Creative Director. “From the sculptural shapes to the distinctive hardware, each piece balances art and function while carrying the Carrol Boyes legacy forward in a new way.”

For Caro, the collection is both a personal and creative project. With an Honours Degree in Fine Art from Stellenbosch University and a Master’s in Luxury Business from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, she brings a background in design and material innovation to the brand. She joined Carrol Boyes in 2023 as Designer and Business Development Manager before taking on the role of Creative Director.

Her approach is not about reproducing the original designs exactly, but finding new ways to work with them. The familiar figures remain, while the shapes, proportions and practical details reflect how handbags are worn and used today.

It’s a lovely continuation of an idea that began with Carrol’s belief that art should be part of everyday life. From the sculptural handles to the carefully chosen leather, these pieces are designed to be admired, used, and carried wherever the day takes you.

The new leather handbag collection is available online and at Carrol Boyes stores across South Africa, as well as exclusively online through the Carrol Boyes UK store.