Islander® Harris Tweed® Mini Satchel Workshop Covent Garden

A lovely highlight of my London trip! I had such a wonderful time creating my own leather satchel at Islander in Covent Garden for a full hour. Lucy was absolutely lovely — so warm, patient, and helpful throughout the whole experience, making it feel extra special. I was sitting with a small group -- other 4 solos and one nice lovely mom-and-daughter couple - and it was so nice. I’m so happy with how my bag turned out! It’s a beautiful, personal keepsake that will always remind me of London. Thank you, Lucy, for making my visit so memorable. Highly recommend Islander!

Really fun and easy! The instructors were lovely. So nice to have a custom coloured bag and there is a nice range of options/upgrades.

AMAZING. Definitely worth it and the bag is amazing. sam and matt were excellent hosts as well. Would definitely do this again

We had the workshop yesterday in London and it was so enjoyable and the two staff members made it a fun experience and had lots of patience.

The staff were very welcoming and kind and talked us through the process of making a bag. Deena and Lucy showed us the different options we could have and then also gave us some of the history behind the prints it was a very fun experience, next time I'm in London I plan to bring my sister.

Great quality materials to make your unique bag, so much choices for colours shapes and materials, recomend

The workshop was really good but the only thing that's was disappointing was the choice of the barrel handbags, there was only about 6 colours to choose from and most of these were summer pastel colours.

Fantastic! Parker and Cai were great instructors for bag construction! Great store, fantastic finds, great atmosphere.

What an incredible find! Have been to Londson several times and was looking for something different. This workshop was so fun and I came away with an incredible clutch that is not only a beautiful keepsake but functional.

We had so much fun building our handbags! Mayan was friendly and knowledgeable, helping with every step, including the truly difficult part -- choosing from among all the beautiful colors! I want to return again and again.

This was a fun experience. I love the bag components I chose and have already received compliments from friends who have seen my bag. It was an easy process. The workshop leaders, Berenice and Mayan, were patient, and helpful, and gave great instructions to help us be successful. I would definitely recommend this experience!

It was a super fun and unique experience - also only 15£ more to customize your own bag versus buying a stick one in store

If you fancy a lovely, interesting and fun workshop where you get to design your own handbag and learn more about the Scottish brand, this is your workshop. You don’t need to worry about your skill levels as the team is very helpful and will ensure you leave with a high quality bag. Very pleased with my little handbag that makes me proud that I made it myself. The store manager, Caroline, is really lovely, she goes above and beyond to ensure everyone is welcome and leaves the experience happy and satisfied. I highly recommend this workshop.

Such a fun and unique experience! Really enjoyed making my own tweed bag and getting to choose all the different elements to personalise it. The whole process was relaxed, creative and really well guided. Such a lovely way to spend an afternoon, and even better that you leave with something you’ve made yourself!

It's a fun experience and you get to make a very customised bag. By default you get the 'mini satchet' bag, but you can upgrade once there if you would prefer a bigger bag/backpack for a very reasonable price difference. The instructions were very clear and the setup for the workshop was perfect, with tons of options to choose from.

It was fun to arrange a hands-on activity after several historical city tours. I saw this workshop option on TripAdvisor and highly recommend this. The Islander store is in the beautiful Covent Garden area of London, and per our the staff that led the workshop opened 3 months ago ( islander shops in Scotland have offered this for awhile). I chose the mini satchel option but did upgrade to a medium backpack. Sokha(not sure I spelled her name correctly) and her coworker guided us through the bag options which include mainly Vegan leather options . Literally dozens of color combinations are possible. They shared history behind the company and the fabrics, added a lot of humor , assistance and water. One bag option is a toiletry kit and I read a recent review where young man joined his mother to make one. The retail section has dozens of other items including shoes, accessories and gift ideas

I discovered the Islander UK Handbag Workshop online and knew it would be the perfect addition to my London trip. The Covent Garden shop is beautifully tucked away not too far from the Seven Dials Market. I was part of a group of 9, and we were led by Sokda and Lucy. At the beginning of the workshop, we were educated on the history of the tartans and Scottish wools. We were shown each bag we have the option to make, and then directed towards the components that fit each bag shape. The two hours flew by, as we were taken step by step in building our bags. Sokda and Lucy answered any questions we had, and checked each bag to make sure the screws were securely in place. They even offered to take photos for us, if we wanted, with our finished bags. At the end of the workshop we were given a care kit (screwdriver and extra screws) and they let us know how to upkeep the bags. I also purchased some extra straps to change out the look of my bag later on. After the workshop, Caroline (store manager) was so helpful with additional items I purchased (not related to the workshop). Sam at the till was equally kind. I highly recommend this lovely experience, where you leave with something that is unique to you.

Booked this for a girl's trip including my mom and we had an amazing time!! Bria and Bernise were so helpful and the bags are the best souvenirs! Tons of options and beautiful materials. Can't recommend this enough.

This was so much fun! Got to make a bag choosing every part of it. A great souvenir and good price. Would go back and make another! Highly recommend.

This was absolutely the most fun experience! Maya and Sophia were so helpful and friendly. I’m from the USA and there is nothing like it there. Such beautiful colors to pick from. You can’t go wrong with any of them! Definitely a must do!! Highly recommend!

So much fun & Samantha was a great teacher . Anyone can do it

This was such a fun way to spend an hour with your girlfriends. You get to pick out your own bag, fabric ,straps, and then put them together to make your perfect bag. Prices are very reasonable for the quality you get.

From Curious Traveler to Islander Handbag Designer 💙👜 I entered this workshop curious and left as an Islander handbag designer! I originally discovered the experience through an Instagram review of things to do in Edinburgh. When I learned that Islander had recently opened a London workshop in July, it became the perfect opportunity to experience it during my UK travels. I love handbags and expressing my creativity, so the chance to design my own was right up my alley. It also felt like the perfect souvenir because I was creating something connected to Harris Tweed's history and culture. Learning about the specific fabrics and the inspiration behind the designs made the experience even more meaningful. The process was simple and incredibly enjoyable. There was plenty of time to choose my design, and I loved being able to make decisions that truly reflected my personality. My workshop purchase included the mini handbag, but there were multiple sizes and customization options available. On site, I was easily able to upgrade to a medium handbag. Watching my bag come together and knowing that I had created it myself gave me such a strong sense of confidence and pride. I've traveled through Scotland and several cities in England and have seen Islander bags everywhere. But there's something special about knowing this one is completely mine and of my own design. It feels like another form of self-care and a creative expression of who I am. A huge thank you to Beth and Sofie, who were absolutely wonderful. They clearly explained each step to the 13 of us in the workshop without taking away from the fun of creating the bag ourselves, and it was easy to ask questions or get help whenever needed. The workshop was scheduled for 90 minutes, but we finished in about 75 minutes, which was perfect. Everyone had time to complete their bags, learn more about Harris Tweed, hear how to care for the handbags at home, show off their creations, take photos and, for those of us who wanted additional straps, take our time choosing those too. I never felt rushed. And the thoughtful details continued after the workshop. We received extra screws and a screwdriver so we can maintain our bags, and we could purchase additional straps to change the look later. As someone traveling from the U.S., I especially appreciated being reminded to pack the screwdriver and extra screws in my checked luggage. Those little practical details made a big difference. Then came a wonderful surprise: we were given the option to customize another bag and construct it at home. I decided to take advantage of it, and Sofie was kind enough to construct mine for me before I left. What a bonus! What I love most is that I didn't leave with just a handbag. I left with a story, a creative experience, and something I can carry for years that reminds me of this trip. Like so many travel experiences, I started out curious, took a chance on an adventure, brought my creativity and personality to the experience, and ended up making something beautiful that is completely my own. I came as a traveler. I left as an Islander designer. And I can't wait to carry my creation and the memories behind it for years to come. 👜🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙 Highly recommend this experience, whether you're visiting Edinburgh or now, London. It's much more than a souvenir. You get to create the souvenir yourself.

Very fun and organized. Sokkda and Parker were fabulous “teachers”. Fun experience. Taking home a great bag.

A brilliant class with Louie and Parker. Both super friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The space was immaculate and well keep. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed. Highly recommended.

Benedict and Matthew were fantastic, so fun and really knowledgeable. Helped me when I was rubbish at making my bag but such a great experience:) plus my bag is beautiful so very happy

This workshop is absolutely fantastic! You get a customized souvenir from your trip and there’s so many combinations you can put together! Special shout out to Matthew and Benedict who were brilliant with explaining every step, checking our work and giving us some history behind some of the tartans!

The make your own handbag workshop in Covent Garden. London was so much fun. The store is brand new and beautiful. Parker and Mona helped us make the handbags in the workshop and they were super helpful and fun to be with so glad I learned about this workshop, I had heard about the workshop being in the Edinburgh stores, but then was so excited when I realized that there was a new one in Covent Garden since we weren’t going to Scotland on this trip. I highly recommend this experience. Great fun and camaraderie with the group while we were making our bags and came away with a beautiful unforgettable souvenir. Thanks, Parker and Mona.!!

Excellent experience - so glad they have opened the Islander experience in Covent Garden. Benedict and Parker were brilliant, very patient and knowledgeable. This is a GREAT value for money experience. The manager Caroline was also so welcoming.

Had such a lovely time making bags with my daughter and mother in law. The hosts Chantelle and myanne were so lovely, chatty, attentive and knowledgeable about the business. The experience was great fun although a little fiddly! Great selection to choose from and options to upgrade were reasonably priced!

It was so much fun! Our group of six, ranging in age from 10 - 73, all enjoyed making our own, “purse”onalized bags. Thank you! We highly recommend

We loved it.. You have a lot of items to choose from: the colour of the bag, the form of the bag, the colors of the straps, … You make your own bag, that is never made before and all made by yourself. With perfect guidance of two super friendly members of staff! Thank you and see you again.

Such a great workshop to celebrate your own style Harris Tweed purse! So many options, it was hard to decide how to design my own. Our instructors were amazing explaining how to put the purse together and teaching us about Harris Tweed and it's history. I would definitely do this again. So glad I had the chance to experience this workshop in London.

Amazing time here! We made a medium satchel and backpack with Samantha and Matthew! They were so helpful and shared cool facts about the bags during our time there. They were patient and offered assistance when needed! The process was fun and we left with an amazing piece of memorabilia of our time in the UK! Would definitely come back again! Also, afterwards we shopped around and the associates were kind and helpful as well!! Again, highly recommend! So worth it!

Loved this!! The bag is such high quality and adorable. The staff was super nice and helpful. Going back again with the rest of the people I am traveling with in 2 days. They want a bag too!

We had a lovely time choosing and building our bags. It was a fantastic experience, I had it on my bucket list for Edinburgh but managed to get it off the list in Covent Garden. I do hope they get their payment system working, I had to go to an ATM to get cash to pay for the upgrade

Wow, what a lovely experience it was to be able to craft our own designs on bags/satchels.Such an array of colours to choose from. All aspect of piecing together our bags was fully explained at every stage. Workshop group size was perfect for the event. Lovely friendly ladies who helped make our time there very special. Time just flew by! Would certainly recommend for all ages and abilities.

Great fun experience with friends and I left with a beautiful handbag too!

Virkelig sjovt koncept at lave sin egen taske! Vejledningen var meget grundig og personalet var gennemgående venligt. Der var mange forskellige versioner af taskerne og med mange farver og mønstre. Rimelige priser.