Last July, while in London, I made sure I arrived a bit early for a meeting with Harrods’ fashion and beauty director, Marigay McKee. I wanted a little time before our appointment to check out the store, since I hadn’t been there in a while and knew there were lots of new things to see.

It was during this reconnaissance mission that my eye–always attracted to luxury–landed on a collection of stunningly beautiful bags designed by Lina Hamed (or, as she’s known in the industry, Lina H) for Analeena.

Just after Paris Fashion Week I went to visit Lina, who was showing her bags at the Georges V hotel. It quickly became very clear that Lina and I share a similar sensibility about luxury–all her bags are made of exotic skins, they’re all made in Florence and everything is of the highest quality.

Her bags are truly beautiful, but they’re also functional: many have special pockets for things like makeup, umbrellas and an iPhone or BlackBerry. Plus, they’re made in an endless array of chic colors, shapes and sizes–and each bag has its own personality, from flirty to feminine to classic.

Perfection is evident in thoughtful little details throughout the collection: my favorite was a built-in mini flashlight inside a bag to help women easily find lip gloss or other specifics, which is certainly something I could use. The final touch? Each bag is lined in soft pink lambskin, which feels like a caress every time you reach inside. (Lina told me pink is her favorite color.) In fact, these bags are so beautiful, they’re really like pieces of jewelry: vibrant, elegant and, most importantly, timeless.

As for Lina herself, she’s very charming–which makes her the perfect ambassador for the Analeena brand!

Top photograph courtesy of Analeena; all others by Marie Goujon