The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2023 - Issue 34

NAVVY London bitebags Industrial Evolution Cristina Lloyd discovers Navvy London’s inspiration, sustainability ethos and collection of beautifully constructed bags. T aking inspiration from the Navvies of the Industrial Revolution, Navvy London ad- mires the engineer builders who construct- ed modern Britain. “They dug the canals and tunnels, built the railways, viaducts and bridges we still rely on today.” The brand identifies with the values of building long-lasting quality creations and engineering as a beautiful feature. After all, it produced some of the UK's most beautiful, celebrated structures, from St Pancras Sta- tion in London to the Forth Bridge in Scotland. Navvy London was founded by Candy Bradford andMark Bleach in 2018. As a child, Mark had the opportunity to work in his father’s leather workshop during the sum- mers, surrounded by skilled leather workers. He learned the traditional methods of crafting leather goods and the importance of respecting natural materials. In his career advising brands on technical design and manufacturing, he became increasingly frustrated by the compromises made to products to protect the bottom line.