Ghurka re-enters the handbag market with Kathy Formby as creative director

Ghurka has been a force in the leather goods industry for quite some time. Now, the brand has hired Kathy Formby as their creative director. Formby is an industry veteran who has worked for both Ralph Lauren and Chanel.

Formby was part of team that is behind Ralph Lauren's Ricky bag.

Her first task at Ghurka was to revitalize the women's capsule collection the brand did in fall 2015. Prior to the capsule collection, Ghurka hadn't been in the handbag market since 2002. Formby has designed 28 handbag styles inspired by Ghurka's military heritage that will be released in spring 2016.

The bags certainly fall into the luxury category, with price points ranging from 625 dollars for a miniature-twill crossbody bag to 2795 dollars for a leather camera bag slung with a handwoven guitar strap. Many of the styles are crafted from French bull skin, a leather that progressively softens with age.

Formby has done her part to give the bags excellent details as well. Handles, detachable straps, and multiple interior pockets are all details that can be found on the bags.

“With Ghurka it came from military, [the brand] has a masculinity but since there is such a trend toward men’s and tailoring, I thought it was the perfect timing to do a women’s collection based off of those trends,” Formby said to WWD.