­Zufi Alexander was raised in Dubai, where she had her first taste of luxury in a city that embraces the extravagant and thrives on glamour. Influenced by her mother – who she remembers for her Jackie O sunglasses and vast collection of handbags – ­Zufi soon developed a distinct personal style. By the age of 16, she was already the owner of a Birkin bag and her passion for handbags has never stopped.

Having opted to go to a private high school in Texas, USA, ­Zufi chose to stay in the States to study Business and Political Science at university. However, when she was awarded a scholarship to University College Oxford, England, for the final two years of her degree, she took the opportunity to study in the same college that includes Bill Clinton and Benazir Bhutto as former students. ­Zufi finished her degree at Oxford and then stayed in the UK to complete her Masters in Business before joining Christie’s in London.

Working at Christie’s for five years took ­Zufi’s appreciation for refinement and luxury to a new level. Being renowned within the company for sketching handbags, one of its directors finally suggested that she create her own handbag line. Rising to the challenge, ­Zufi left Christie’s and opened her company in May 2004. By October of the same year, she was ready to show her first collection at Paris Fashion Week where it was immediately snapped up by Saks Fifth Avenue and Henri Bendel’s.

2005 was an exciting year for ­Zufi. Her first appearance in the New York Post came in February, and then in May she was named New Accessories Designer of the Year by London Fashion Week. Soon after winning this coveted award, ­Zufi was invited by Louis Vuitton’s VIP club, Celux, in Tokyo to design limited edition bags for its members. This was a great introduction to Japan, which has since become one of ­Zufi’s most important markets and one of her favourite places to visit.

It didn’t take long for ­Zufi to gain a loyal celebrity following, which includes Sienna Miller, Katherine Heigl and Beyonce. She clearly remembers the day when she received a handwritten note from Cate Blanchett who said her bag was “delectable”. It was moments like these that made ­Zufi persist in following her dream to become a household name.

More exciting press recognition soon followed with Vogue saying, “If you want to be sure you’re on the next Kate Moss Handbag wagon, ­Zufi Alexander is a name you want to remember” and The Financial Times calling her a “Rising New Star”.

A nomination from Walpole – The best of British Luxury, as new emerging designer alongside Christopher Kane and Kate Moss in 2006, also added to ­Zufi’s credibility in the industry.

The next step in ­Zufi’s rise to stardom was her appointment as Creative Director for Morabito. The classic French luxury handbag brand has undergone a revamp since ­Zufi took creative control in July 2007. ­Zufi has also recently collaborated with Erickson Beamon to create her own jewellery line and with Giuseppe Zanotti to introduce a spectacular collection of shoes for Autumn/Winter 2008.

In just four years, ­Zufi has turned her lifelong ambition into a reality by creating a luxury lifestyle brand that has become a huge success around the world. From Malibu to Moscow, style conscious women can’t resist the sophisticated appeal of ­Zufi’s designs or the message that she spreads wherever she goes: “Follow your dreams, anything is possible. Women can be powerful and feminine at the same time; this is the concept behind every bag that I design.”

­Zufi has very kindly given our Mapochette.com sassy ladies a superb ­Zufi pouch for this month.
Click here to view ­Zufi’s bags now available for rent on Mapochette.com!