Summer holidays are around the corner and there’s no better time to take stock of your travel essentials. Whether long-haul or closer to home, our requirement for any trip is a tight edit of versatile outfits that are easy, elegant and enjoyable to wear. Good luggage, lightweight knits that fold down to take up little space, leather passport holders to add extra luxury, and a reliable waterproof just in case. Every item earns its place by being as practical as it is stylish, ready for as much of the trip as possible to be spent outdoors. Below, you’ll find a selection of Purdey pieces made to accompany you to sunnier climes and back again.
The Luggage
Proudly British in inspiration, our holdalls, field bags, backpacks and totes are forever classics. Each is made from structured grain-leather, sourced for its quality and softness, and debossed with a subtle Purdey featherburst. Inside, you’ll find hand-painted seams bonded with suede – rather than hiding the excellent craftsmanship with a lining. Elements of the designs neatly reference Victorian luggage and shooting accessories, but these bags are very much made for the modern traveller.
Our Decoy Holdalls and Loader Duffles nod to heritage Gladstone doctor’s bags, with their rounded silhouettes and single handles. Typically, Victorian-era luggage had wooden strips screwed to the underside, designed to grip the railing of overhead compartments on trains and stop things sliding around – ours feature tanned-leather runners mirroring this detail. Adjustable straps are inspired by a gunslip in our archive, the colour reflects the smoked walnut wood of Purdey guns, and the chequering of the hardware evokes a beautifully finished gun stock.
The Ghillie Backpack draws on the Scottish word for ‘one who carries other people’s belongings’, but is very comfortable for those of us not taking a Ghillie on holiday. The buckled flap closure is inspired by a cartridge bag – and more directly recreated in the Crossbody Field Bag. Then there’s the Keeper Tote, arguably the perfect out-and-about bag, with its zipped inner pockets and adjustable handles. Or for something small but no less practical, the Crossbody Wallet includes a phone pocket, key holder, space for six cards and a detachable strap; designed to be worn underneath your jacket, keeping all your travel essentials quite safe.
What To Pack
Our seamless lightweight crewnecks and polo shirts are ideal for travelling and made for the warmer months. The short-sleeve style makes a smart alternative to a T-shirt, proving the potential of fine cotton-cashmere beyond winter, and featuring signature Purdey details on the buttons, cuffs and collar. Pair with the relaxed tailoring of the Ravenscourt Jacket in the favourite fabric of seasoned travellers, 100% high-quality linen.
In womenswear, we’ve made the holy grail – a dress that will take you everywhere, from the office to a weekend in the countryside, trips abroad to dinners with friends. The softly structured handkerchief linen is incredibly easy to wear, setting this up to be one of your most-worn pieces this summer. Sitting nicely over the shoulders, the Wilton is a light linen-cotton alternative to our classic field jacket; though white isn’t always seen as the most practical option, the four-pocket design counters this point perfectly.
We don’t want to tempt fate, but the sun cannot always be relied upon when travelling. To cover every eventuality, we always pack one of our lightweight waterproof jackets, guaranteed to keep you warm and dry. The Gloucestershire Jacket has handy carabiner clips for easy carrying, and when the weather brightens up, it can be packed neatly into its own internal pocket – it doesn’t get more practical than that.
Explore the new arrivals ready for summer trips; and shop leather luggage, here.