What Lily Loves: The Luxe Upcycled Handbag, the Investment Bikinis I'm Packing Plus the TV Show I Can't Stop Watching

Welcome to What Lily Loves, a personal edit of the pieces, places, and ideas currently inspiring me. Think of it as your insider guide to what’s shaping my wardrobe and daily rituals. From standout finds and under-the-radar designers to shopping destinations, cultural hotspots—from restaurants and theatres to podcasts—here are the latest discoveries I’m loving.

The Designer Drop

Polène

French label Polène has become a go-to for luxury handbags at a more affordable price point. What many fans aren't aware of, however, is its extensive sustainability practices. One priority is upcycling leather off-cuts produced during the making of its bags. Just last year, when the brand opened its first London store, an entire wall of bricks and a sculptural table were made from compressed leather off-cuts - pretty impressive.

The Nomad Solé bag is one of the newest additions to the brand, and it cleverly blends upcycling with everything you would want from a chic summer carryall. The bag features a total of 382 beads moulded from leather off-cuts, each held in place by 320 hand-tied macramé knots. Few brands are able to embrace such innovative practices while simultaneously creating pieces that are anything but luxurious, which is why this handbag is at the top of my wishlist.

Spotlight On

STAUD

This month I’ve found myself constantly clicking on pieces by Los Angeles-based label STAUD. Loved by celebrities including Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber, the brand is my go-to for bright summer dresses and playful handbags—but this summer it has stepped it up a notch. Think fun beach totes, embellished swimsuits, and cover-ups from its collaboration with iconic Positano beach restaurant Da Adolfo. The pieces are so popular they’re already selling out fast, so here are some of my favourites so you don’t miss out either.

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New In This Week

Investment Bikinis

As I start mentally packing my summer holiday wardrobe ahead of a trip to Puglia this month, my priority is swimwear, and in particular, bikinis. A self-confessed bikini addict, I have so many I’ve never got round to counting them, and I keep bikinis that don’t even fit me anymore, or that my mother passed down to me, in what I like to call my swimwear archive. That said, I continue to shop for new bikinis, and while some great styles can be found on the high street, investing in a bikini will pay dividends.

The difference between designer and high-street swimwear is primarily in the fabric and the level of detail in the cut and size grading. Swimwear fabrics are expensive, particularly if you are looking for materials that won’t lose their colour or shape easily. Add in recycled fabrics, and the manufacturing costs begin to soar. But as the only time you’re likely to be this naked in public, buying pieces that will not only last longer but also support and flatter in all the right places comes at a price—but are totally worth it! Here are some of my favourite investment bikinis I’m packing this summer.

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On My Radar

Off Campus

It will come as no surprise to many that I’ve included Amazon’s new hit TV show Off Campus this week. The show has Gen Z and millennials (myself included) in a chokehold with its smile-inducing love-fest, steamy bedroom scenes, and catchy soundtrack that has been playing on repeat on my Deezer ever since.

Based on Elle Kennedy’s bestselling Off-Campus book series, the show follows a group of college athletes as they navigate friendships, rivalry, and romance, with the first season focusing on the relationship between lead character Garrett Graham and Hannah Wells. If you’ve got a lot to be getting on with, be warned—I think I’m on my fourth rewatch as we speak.

Watch Off Campus on Amazon Prime now.

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