The Raffles Classic

The iconic Raffles handbag was created in 1991 inspired by the polarising architecture of the Singapore Raffles Hotel – a stone’s throw away from the KWANPEN boutique at the time on Raffles Boulevard. An homage to KWANPEN’s humble beginnings, the design was to mirror the values of the family run luxury house.
Raffles Hotel
Image Source:https://www.raffles.com/singapore/

The slender silhouette of the hardware emulates the pillars of the grandiose hotel, symbolising the Kwan family bond and values that supports this luxury house, while symmetry in the dual clasps defines the impartiality and the parallel emphasis on family and business. The full rounded body with intricate pleats displaying the beauty of the family trade - exotic leather.


The Raffles Classic handbag is exceptional in its craftmanship as it showcases the innovation of KWANPEN leather crafting and the elegance of crocodile leather. The design of the Raffles Classic handbag requires great skill by master craftsmen to allow for the pleating of the handbag. KWANPEN being the first to highlight the malleable properties of this exotic leather with this technique, as the design requires it to be sewn from the inside to allow for hidden seams.

A versatile companion for both day and night, it can be carried by its handle or shoulder-slung with its removable shoulder strap.

The Raffles bag has been reimagined throughout the years with mesmerizing new colours, sizes, and variations. Its timeless design embodies class and functionality like no other.

The Raffles 1819

In 2015, KWANPEN proudly opened its first European Boutique in the illustrious heart of London, United Kingdom. Commissioned by the 1st Earl of Burlington, the Burlington arcade opened its doors on March 1819, the same year that Sir Stamford Raffles laid foot on the sunny shores of Singapore. And just as the great establishments commemorate their accomplishments, so has KWANPEN.


The Raffles 1819 was launched alongside its first London boutique located at 18-19 Burlington Arcade, London. Its inspiration derives from a celebration of many firsts in KWANPEN’s history by inheriting the iconic Raffles hardware into a beautifully structured, stunning single handle handbag.


Visit the KWANPEN website for stunning variations of this illustrious piece.