Luxury, redefined

Luxury and sophistication are just two of the words that speak volumes about Tan & Brown, the hot new label by Australian sister duo Courtney and Olivia Lennan who now reside in Singapore. Despite being new to the international fashion scene, Tan & Brown pieces have made their way onto the red carpet – more specifically, onto the arms of Australian actors Miranda Otto, Charlotte Gregg, former Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts, and celebrated DJ/model/fashionista Alexandra Richards.

With a commitment to quality, excellent design and expertise in exotic materials, Tan & Brown has impressed women the world over with its first collection P.S. I Love You – and we are wanting more.

Congratulations on the launch of the P.S. I LOVE YOU Collection! What made you both want to start this label?

Courtney: Tan & Brown was born from our desire to find handbags that “spoke” to us. With an appreciation of traditional luxury, we’ve always coveted bags that have great hardware, good lining and excellent stitching. We realised that in order to get the luxury we desired, we had to be some brand’s billboard with its label emblazoned across our bags. We craved bags that reflected our style, without dictating it.

Olivia: After identifying a gap in the market for a colourful and youthful bridge brand to luxury, we set about planning and designing our own handbag range targeting women who prefer quality rather than logos.

You use a lot of exotic skins like python, ostrich, and horsehair. Why do you choose to work with these materials?

Courtney: We love the rich texture and natural patterns of these exotic materials. We are able to bring out their natural beauty by enhancing them with colour and in some cases (like the Minxy Martinis) the material is hand-painted.  These are incredible materials to work with and they only get better with time.

We also heard your bags are a hot favourite among some Australian celebrities! Who are they? Which pieces do they love?

Olivia: We’ve been very fortunate that Tan & Brown has already gained a celebrity following and has been seen on the arms of Australian actors, Miranda Otto, Teresa Palmer, Asher Keddie, Krew Boylan, Gracie Otto, Pia Miranda, Alyssa McClelland, Sophie Lowe and Charlotte Gregg. International fans of the brand are former Pussycat Doll, Ashley Roberts, along with DJ, model and fashionista, Alexandra Richards.

Courtney: Each girl has her own style and is attracted to different pieces, however for A-List parties and premieres, these celebrities have mostly worn the Minxy Martini, The Krew Clutch or the Ava Martin.

Tell us: What is your personal favourite from this collection? 

Courtney: My favourite is the Minxy Martini python clutch. I named it after one of my best friends.  I affectionately call her Minxy and as her middle name is Martini, the two seemed to fit.  I love the hand-painted python material and it’s a great bag to wear with my little black dress!

Olivia: My favourite is The Krew Clutch. I named it after one of my best friends, Australian Actor Krew Boylan. She has great style and mixes vintage finds with high-end fashion.  It’s a great clutch and the colours really pop against any outfit.