The Coquette Red range includes handbags in luxe suede & leather, funky textiles, delicious faux leather and hip microfibre.  

In addition to our divine handbags, Coquette Red also offers a luscious collection of semi-precious stone and sterling silver jewellery, featuring stunning artisan handmade pieces, dripping with beautiful gems, silver charms and the loveliest freshwater pearls.  New styles are added often.

Established in 2002, Coquette Red is based in Melbourne, Australia and is proudly 100% Australian owned.

design philosophy

The Coquette Red design philosophy is about creating styles that are original, functional and of course beautiful.  Whilst recognizing the importance of keeping an eye on fashion, we never  “follow  the pack”.  The result is a range  of handbags and jewellery with a unique, contemporary edge that  are classic rather than trendy.  

We have always avoided fussy detailing - rather, our designs feature clean lines and practicality with quality materials  and finishing.  The use of colour & texture is an essential consideration, whether it's a luxe red suede handbag exterior or a lining in a beautiful print.   

Quality is key – our bags must not only look gorgeous, but must also be functional and durable.  This commitment  to quality spans from our selection of materials, both inside and outside our bags, to our high level of manufacturing standards.

We currently design and produce two handbag collections each  year, as well  as adding new semi-precious jewellery styles to the range regularly.

Why the name  Coquette Red?  A “coquette” is a woman who :

     ~ is classic rather than trendy

     ~ is feminine, sometimes flirty, but always strong

     ~ loves fashion but interprets it in her own way

Red is the colour of passion, of bravery and strength.  It stands apart from the crowd.

marita hayes-brown

founder & designer

Coquette Red was established in 2002 by Marita Hayes-Brown.

After completing Law and Arts degrees at Monash University, Marita commenced a career as a commercial lawyer.  Although she enjoyed and was challenged by her legal career, Marita was keen to indulge her interest in design, so she decided to return to full time study at RMIT.

Upon completion of her design qualification, Marita moved to Singapore first working as a designer an Australian commercial architecture &  interior design practice, then establishing herself as an Australian Aboriginal art dealer. 

The next eight years saw another three international moves, from Paris to London and then Hong Kong. During this time Marita was forming and refining her vision for her own accessories label and in 2002 her first handbag range was launched in Hong Kong – a fun collection of reversible textile handbags which enjoyed huge popularity, particularly amongst the expatriate community.

The success of that launch led to Marita opening her own boutique and gallery in Hong Kong.  After four years of refining her design and production management skills in Hong Kong, Marita returned to Melbourne where the label launched its Australian operations.

Now, five years after returning to Australia, the Coquette Red label is carried by over 100 stockists Australia-wide.

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