My name is Rebecca and I’m the buyer for dresses, jackets and skirts across the core brands – Capture, Emerge and Grace Hill.
As I’m sure all Mums can appreciate, when your children are small you end up being a packhorse for all their nappies, drink bottles, afternoon snacks, and the supersize packet of wipes required for all the spills and smudges that are part of life with littlies. Now that my children have both started school, I have embraced the freedom that comes with slightly more independent little people.
My handbag reflects this, and is tiny!
It was a treat to myself on a buying trip to LA about a year ago and it holds only those things essential to my day! It also happens to look just as good with a casual tee-shirt dress from Emerge, as it does with glammed up leather leggings (out soon!) from Grace Hill, which saves the time of swapping handbags for different occasions.
Key ring – overloaded with a few essential (and lots of mystery?) keys, the pass code to our buying office, as well as various yoga passes.
I love going to yoga! There’s nothing better than some quiet time on the mat at the end of a loud and busy day in the office. There is always a lot going on at work, as we straddle several seasons at once, buying a season ahead, while we’re selling the current season. I’m also surrounded by a lot of women every day, so there is plenty of chat and hilarity! It’s nice to steal a quiet hour when I can, before going home to my family.
Cash – I never know when there’s going to be a PTA sausage sizzle or ice block sale announced as kids hop out of the car in the morning… it pays to be prepared.
Lip balm – somehow I can’t seem to keep lipstick on my lips, so I figure smooth lips are as good as coloured ones. It’s the one concession to makeup you’ll ever find on my person. I’m a do-your-makeup-once-in-the-morning kind of girl! I never have time to consider a touch up or re-do! As I get older I’ve become more focused on skincare than makeup.
Various cards – including business cards and various loyalty cards for retailers all around the world. I seem to collect these on buying trips.
Sunglasses – mine are prescription and I can’t live (or drive very well!) without them. They pretty much take up my entire handbag.
Phone – this has to work hard to earn its keep – it acts as notepad and photo record of samples, colour palettes, and promotional ideas, as well as the usual ‘keeping my life on schedule’ tasks that we all ask of our iPhones.
Custom made jewellery – my children make me a new love bracelet or necklace most weeks – these are always brightly coloured, and bring a smile to my face.
Lego – OK, so the packhorse thing dies hard! Small childhood essentials still seem to make their way into my bag…
