Launer London is a British manufacturer of luxury

handbag A handbag, commonly known as a purse in North American English, is a handled medium-to-large bag used to carry personal items. It has also been called a pocketbook in parts of the U.S. Terminology The term "purse" originally referred to a smal ...

s and other small

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning (leather), tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffal ...

goods founded in 1940 by Sam Launer, who emigrated to London from Czechoslovakia during the Second World War. The company first sold a handbag to a member of the

British royal family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...

in 1950 and subsequently was awarded a royal warrant by Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

History

In 1940, Sam Launer founded Launer London, and began making handbags in a small rented workshop in London's

Soho SoHo, short for "South of Houston Street, Houston Street", is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Since the 1970s, the neighborhood has been the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, art installations such as The Wall ...

district. He had left Czechoslovakia after it was occupied by Germany early in the Second World War. Launer died in 1955, and the company remained a family business until Gerald Bodmer purchased the company in 1981. In 2011, Launer started producing bags in colours other than their traditional black, brown, and navy. By 2019 turnover had risen 167% since the 2011 figure of £1.5 million. For the 52 weeks of 2018 Launer reported a 23% increase in turnover to £4 million.

Royal warrant

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was al ...

first purchased a Launer bag in the 1950s, and later gave one to her daughter,

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

. In 1968, Launer London were given a royal warrant by The Queen. She had bought more than 200 of their bags by 2019, according to CEO and owner Gerald Bodmer; and her three favourites appear to have been a black leather Royale, a black patent Traviata, and a third custom-made bag. She also kept all of her mother's Launer bags, according to Bodmer. The Traviata is Launer's bestselling design, partly due to the influence of The Queen; it is handmade in

Walsall Walsall (, or ; locally ) is a market town and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of Staffordshire, it is located ...

in the West Midlands, and sold for about £1,800 in 2019. Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...

regularly carried a Launer handbag, which was remarked upon as a characteristic. Gerald Bodmer first sent her one after seeing a cartoon of Thatcher whacking Argentina with her bag at the time of the

Falklands War The Falklands War () was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British Overseas Territories, British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and Falkland Islands Dependenci ...

. In June 2025, Launer was granted a royal warrant by

Queen Camilla Camilla (born Camilla Rosemary Shand, later Parker Bowles, 17 July 1947) is List of British royal consorts, Queen of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III. Camilla was raised in East ...

References

External links

* {{Use dmy dates, date=January 2020 British royal warrant holders Clothing brands of the United Kingdom Clothing retailers of the United Kingdom Clothing companies established in 1940 Leather manufacturers Manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom 1940 establishments in England British brands High fashion brands Companies based in Surrey