Memories of China

What does the phrase ‘Memories of China’ mean to you, apart from possibly reminding you of the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of one of Ken Lo’s famous restaurants?

Perhaps your memories stretch back to the days when Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou were offbeat expatriate outposts that sounded extremely exotic and exciting to the average man in the street.

Thanks to the internet and modern air travel, the world is now a much smaller place and many more of us have travelled to far flung parts of the Far East.







The upshot of recent, rapid change means that, as well as high quality natural products like jade and silk, China is now known for its innovative, high technology fabrics and advanced fashion manufacturing industry. Of course, it’s also recognised as being a part of the world that has a certain philosophical depth – think Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.





Hardly suprising then, that we’ve found a Far East based accessories designer who cleverly combines the best of Chinese style – both old and new – in a range of exquisitely made faux skin and hand-carved jade clutch handbags... which are now available outside the Far East, exclusively at ShopCurious.







Designer, Desti Saint, has lived in Asia most of her life, previously in Hong Kong and, since 2008, in Singapore. She’s inspired by the colours, culture and people of the region and says that she loves contemporary Asian design, but is also influenced by the traditional icons and symbols of the past.






Desti’s designs, sold under the Dee label, are especially known for their use of unusual fabrics. The faux python skin bags are made from a unique cotton mix that’s curiously soft to the touch – people simply love to hold them! Desti also works hard to find exactly the ‘right’ colours for her bags, but she explains that “it’s not just how they look, I’m pretty practical and grounded – the bags have to work as part of everyday life. They have to fit women’s lives and be enjoyable.”










Even if you’ve never been to China, these beautifully made and reasonably priced envelope bags are definitely worth remembering.

Will you?