Meet the owners

Meet Anita

A family-run business synonymous with quality and style, SageBrown produces sumptuous leather goods, from briefcases to handbags, as owner Anita Pekdemir explains:

Background to the business

SageBrown was created by husband-and-wife team Mehmet and Anita Pekdemir back in the early noughties. Using Mehmet’s leather retail and manufacturing knowledge and experience and Anita’s design and marketing background they joined forces to create their own luxury brand specialising in fine leather goods for men and women. Today, they have two shops – their flagship store in London’s Mayfair, which launched 2005, and their Cambridge branch in Trinity Street, which opened November 2018 – plus an expanding online presence.

What made you open a store in Cambridge?

Cambridge has always been a favourite city of ours and it’s also close to home. We felt that there was a gap in the market for affordable luxurious leather accessories. It was just a case of finding the right shop and location.

Tell us about your luxurious product range. . .

We create beautifully crafted luxurious leather products that are handmade to last. The vast range comes in a variety of styles, colours and textiles and includes briefcases, portfolios, wallets, purses, handbags, small leather goods and accessories, most of which are luxuriously lined in sumptuous contrast suede. We believe in combining both quality and affordability and see no reason to pay exorbitant prices when our products do more for less.Because we have our own workshop, we can remain flexible and competitive in the bespoke corporate market too. You won’t find a better price to quality ratio.

Where do you source the leather?

We are proud to own a manufacturing workshop in Turkey where many of the skilled craftsmen come from families who have also passed down their skills through the generations. Every cut of leather and every single stitch is carefully constructed by hand by our experienced master craftsmen. We want you to feel the craftsmanship and quality that we have built our reputation on every time you use one of our gorgeous products.

What are your bestsellers?

For men, leather wallets and card holders are very popular. With the continuous advances in technology, our society is becoming cashless, and people are relying more on card and contactless payments. We have developed wallets and cards holders with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Devices) protective linings, which ensure your cards are safe from digital fraudsters. For women, our bestsellers have to be handbags as the choice of colour and styles is almost overwhelming. With matching purses and accessories, these make lovely gifts for any occasion.

Which of your products would you want Santa to leave under the tree for you?

For someone who owns a leather shop, I don’t have that many bags! I would really love an emerald green Sabrina Bag as I think the colour is stunning and the style is timeless. I imagine going to Wimbledon next year wearing a white dress accessorised with this bag.

What sets SageBrown apart in the market?

Our exceptional customer service! To stay competitive, we have a team of dedicated knowledgeable staff with impeccable customer service who always try to do their best to guide and help each customer.

What do you like about being an indie in Cambridge?

Since opening our shop doors at 31 Trinity Street, we have loved becoming a part of the wonderful community of Cambridge and have enjoyed getting to know our new customers and our neighbours. Cambridge is truly a global city and we have been warmly welcomed by all. Cambridge BID has been a project that we have been closely involved with and we think it provides valuable information on how our business is viewed by current and prospective customers. After all, our customers are the most important part of our business, and we want them to be happy and have a great shopping experience with us!

Visit SageBrown at 31 Trinity Street, Cambridge, CB2 1TB. Find out more at sagebrown.co.uk