A creative force behind the brand, Aspinal's Creative Director Mariya Dykalo gives viewers a behind the scenes insight into her world of colour and handbags. Mariya will teach viewers how to design the perfect handbag, from putting their idea on paper to talking through the importance of sketching, colour and proportions.
Masterclass Available on Our Aspinal Instagram TV Channel Now
Masterclass Description
Go behind the scenes with Mariya with a step by step guide of how to design the perfect handbag.
What you will need:
• A sketchbook or sheets of paper
• Sketching pencil of your choice
• Something to add colour to your drawing such as felt tip pens,
watercolours or coloured pencils

Having possessed a lifelong passion for fashion, Ukrainian born Mariya Dykalo began working as an intern with Aspinal of London in 2006. She quickly rose through the ranks, initially becoming a designer then the head of design before being appointed as the brand's Creative Director in 2013.
When designing, Mariya likes playing with the shapes of the bags and textures of the leathers and other materials to bring the pieces to life. As the Creative Director, Mariya has collaborated with talented individuals on capsule collections for the brand including Michelle Dockery, Emma Shipley, David Gandy and Giles Deacon, to name a few.
What made you pursue a
career in design?
I always knew I wanted to be a designer from a very young age. I
was born in Ukraine, where my Mother greatly influenced my love for
fashion from an early age as she used to make clothes with me when
I was a child. I went to my first sewing class when I was 13 years
old and ignited my passion for creativity and fashion.
Which part of your job do you enjoy the
most?
I love working with artistic and talented people - as the Creative
Director, my job involves leading our design team to build exciting
collections every season. It's incredibly satisfying to see my
ideas evolve into reality. I am forever inspired by people, street
style, art, movies, and I am fortunate my job allows me to travel
so frequently; from the English countryside where we live, to
London and around the world. I find travel a very important part of
inspiration - learning about different cultures, architectures and
landscape, although this will probably change and slow down
now.
Do you have a favourite era of style?
Many different eras inspire me - I would say a constant mood for
Aspinal is luxury vintage style and travel. I love references to
old school Hollywood glamour meets the golden era of travel as it
is so synonymous with the brand, for me it is a seasonless, forever
muse. For our current Spring Summer '20 collection, we took
inspirations from the energetic aesthetic of the '60s, a decade
famous for its incredible style, spirit of creativity and freedom.
Aspinal's SS20 collection embodies the playful attitude of the
sixties with of our boldest colour palette to date including
Penelope Pink, Bright Mustard and English Lavender. We have also
introduced five new designs into the collection which is always
exciting, each of which have their own individual inspirations, the
Lady P, for example, took inspiration from the debutantes of the
'60s who always carried their bags on their arms, whereas the
Pandora captures the fun, free spirit of London town.
What is your personal
design style?
My personal style is classic with a twist; I know what silhouettes
suit me. I love layering tailored jackets and blazers;
experimenting with colours and textures. I am never without high
heels and an Aspinal handbag, or even two handbags! I love to play
with layering bags, often I wear a small crossbody bag with my
phone in and carry a larger bag such as our London tote for my
everyday essentials. My current favourite combination is the camera
bag paired with the Marylebone tote; perfect for a day in the
office.
Where do you seek inspiration?
I am fortunate to have the city of London on my doorstep, a city
that offers a never-ending source of varied and diverse
inspiration. We have many incredible museums that showcase British
artists, painters, and textiles from over the decades, all of which
relate to back London in some way. One constant for us is looking
at the duality of city life and the English countryside. The
relationship between these two lifestyles is a common thread of
inspiration we feature in every collection. For our upcoming AW20
collection, we were inspired by nature and art. In particular, the
works of the Sussex based artist Ivon Hitchens who moved to Sussex
after living in London. Sussex is the home of Aspinal's head
office, which we felt captured the relationship between town and
countryside.
I am continually watching how women dress on the streets of London, and around the world when I travel - it's exciting to see how fashion evolves so fast at the moment. Social channels such as TikTok and Instagram are incredibly insightful when researching the latest fashion trends and what's is hot now. We are very lucky to have customers from all parts of the world; London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Dubai feature some of the most well-dressed women. I find it so interesting to see the differences in the shape and size of the bags women carry, especially how much it can vary!



Midi Mayfair Bag
Deep Shine Bright Mustard Small Croc
$0.00


Mini Mayfair Bag
Black Silk Lizard
$0.00


Pandora Bag
Deep Shine English Lavender Small Croc
$0.00


Pandora Bag
Deep Shine Penelope Pink Small Croc
$0.00


Camera 'A' Bag
Bordeaux Pebble
$400.00


Camera 'A' Bag
Smooth Tan
$400.00


Midi Marylebone Tote
Black Pebble
$1,350.00


London Tote
Warm Grey Pebble
$925.00