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Fashion with conscience - Bottletop bags arrive at Selfridges!

By Elle Blakeman on Tuesday 1 June 2010

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VV Brown - News - Marie Claire

It's official, the ‘It' bag is back! But we're all much more discerning after the recession so not just any old arm candy will suffice, which is why Selfridges have teamed up with UK charity Bottletop to offer beautiful bags that also help alleviate poverty in the developing world.

Bottletop, the brainchild of Cameron Saul (whose father Roger Saul founded Mulberry), uses recycled bottle tops salvaged from waste and spun into gorgeous high-fashion handbags by local communities.

Being at the cutting edge of fashion was absolutely key for the son of handbag royalty, and the first Bottletop bags were developed with Roger and the Mulberry design team where it quickly became the best selling bag of the season back in 2002.

‘I wanted Bottletop to be a cool brand. We'd sell sexy, high-quality products with a feel good factor, not things people brought because they felt they had to,' said Saul.

In fact Bono's ‘Red' campaign was launched after Bottletop began, to mirror this original concept.

In 2007 Bottletop collaborated with Oliver Wayman and Luciano Dos Santos from Brazil to form the Ring Pull project. Devising a training program for a Favela community, residents were educated on how to make products, helping people work their way out of poverty.

Each bag is stunning in it's own right, and the new limited collection comes in five styles; the ‘Luciana' clutch, the ‘Claudio' luggage bag, the ‘Paris' shoulder bag, the ‘Comprido' clutch, and the ‘Bellani' shoulder bag, each with the coveted blue ‘Bottletop' logo.

Bottletop is one of the first eco brands to be championed by Selfridges, and raises money to support local initiatives in different countries as well as empowering young people through providing education and jobs.

The complete range includes iPod cases, T-shirts, limited-edition radios, and key-rigns, as well as the amazing bags that have been spotted on several A-listers including Paris Hilton, Kate Moss, Elle McPherson, Natalie Imbruglia, and VV Brown.

And where the fashion pack leads...

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Tuesday 1 June 2010