Creativity runs in the family, explains Georgia Davison, the designer and founder of Georgia Jay – the homegrown accessories label with a cult following for its buttery-soft leather handbags, slouchy silhouettes, and playful colour palette. “My sister Ruby and I grew up in Whangamata in the Coromandel. We lived by the ocean. We were independent and had a lot of freedom from a young age,” Davison recalls. “Creativity was always encouraged, by our mum and dad, both very creative – Mum more of an artist in every sense, and Dad more design-minded, a perfectionist at his craft.”

But it wasn’t until she completed a Bachelor’s degree in design with a major in fashion from the University of Otago that Davison discovered a passion for crafting leatherware. “What was a form of sartorial self-care, to cure my post-fashion school come down, I would hibernate in a creative haze and start to create small leather bags and purses,” she says.

Davison had started by cathartically creating for herself before friends, and then friends of friends caught wind of what she was doing and commissioned pieces. “It was all very organic, and almost by accident that I had created an accessories label.”

“Every single bag was a one-off,” Davison explains. “I was learning the craft and developing what would become the essence and aesthetic of Georgia Jay. It was an immensely ripening time for me creatively.”

In 2015 Georgia Jay officially launched as a brand. “We had cultivated our identity as a brand, and my focus was to create timeless yet directional pieces which are luxurious yet functional.” A few years later, Davison’s sister joined Georgia Jay. Together, the pair continued to develop, explore and hone design principles and apply their practices across a range of styles that were soon adopted and adored by women in Aotearoa and beyond.

“What unites every creation is a reputation for quality, refinement and a deceptively pared-back aesthetic,” Davison explains. She says that while many of their shapes and silhouettes appear simple, as a brand, they are incredibly focused on all the details. “It’s the small things — the patterning, the fluidity of our seams and our love for balanced asymmetry. To this day, we are an independent, female-led brand that proudly makes every single piece by hand at our open studio in Eden Terrace, Auckland.”

Discover the Georgia Jay collection right here, and head along to the brand’s sample sale this Saturday at 203 Karangahape Road or shop the sale online at georgiajay.com from 10 AM this Sunday.