Kate Freud meets handbag designer Melissa Del Bono of Meli Melo to talk fashion, style and the little people in her life
Stepping inside Melissa del Bono?s impeccably chic West London home, it?s hard to believe that lurking behind the scenes is energetic three-year-old Baxter and his older sister, Clementina, six. The Notting Hill townhouse seems to provide plenty of space for the two youngsters to burn off steam, while Melissa busies herself in the kitchen making proper Italian coffee for us both. Her face lights up as she tells me how life has changed since the arrival of her children. ?They?ve reminded me what it is to be innocent and curious again. My life is so enriched by these little people who become such a special mix of you and your husband!? Said husband, Doug, is now CEO of Meli Melo, the handbag label Melissa set up more than 10 years ago using her own savings. Following an early career in fashion PR, she decided she wanted to create a handbag line that was both understated yet luxe, and all handmade in Italy, from where her family hails.

Though the brand started small, its unique designs quickly caught the attention of everyone from Sienna Miller and Poppy Delevingne to Alessandra Ambrosio, and having grown significantly since then, Meli Melo now boasts its own store on Portobello Road.
Following nine months of nausea during both her pregnancies, when her babies arrived Melissa needed to find a way to savour her fleetingly precious time with them while keepi...