From featuring in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs to show-stealing appearances on Sex and the City (“It’s not a bag, it’s a baguette!”) – the humble handbag has well and truly earned its place as a fashion must-have. Marrying fashion and functionality, it has been used to make a statement, to house love letters, and even carry a dog or two!

In On Ladies and Handbags, award-winning author and illustrator Mylo Freeman explores this everyday accessory through the fascinating stories of 50 iconic ladies throughout history and their relationships with their bags. Accompanied by beautiful illustrations, it features a diverse range of women from fashion designers like Vivienne Westwood and Palesa Mokubung, to activists like Josephine Baker and Laverne Cox, musical icons like Rihanna and Grace Jones, and pioneers like journalist-explorer Nellie Bly and Anna May Wong, Hollywood’s first Chinese American star.

An essential read for lovers of fashion, history, and women’s stories.