Who Made Your Bottletop Bag?

In 2012, Cameron Saul and Oliver Wayman founded the Bottletop Fashion Company, a luxury accessories brand that serves as the business arm of the Bottletop Foundation.

The Bottletop Foundation empowers disadvantaged young people to take control of their lives through health education and vocational training projects; in turn supporting their wider communities. It enables projects in Brazil, Africa and the United Kingdom.

To date, it has addressed drug abuse and reproductive health issues with nearly 35,000 young people worldwide. The founders describe The Bottletop Foundation as being at the heart of everything Bottletop does. It was the spark that started their journey and is a continual source of inspiration for their work.

The vast majority of the foundation’s activity is in Rio and São Paulo where Bottletop’s atelier is based. The workshop is staffed by local artisans who make the luxury handbags, using traditional crafting skills they learned while on the training and development programmes the foundation has supported in the favelas.   In addition to learning a new skill, the women earn a fair wage and have access to private health benefits. The training programs enable skilled artisans to join them, supporting themselves and their families in the process.