A SELF-confessed handbag addict has told how she realised her childhood ambition of opening her own shop.

Jasmine Johal would read the Thompson business pages fantasising about running her own shop.

Now she has made her dream come true with the opening of boutique handbag, art and nails store Matchbags, in Duke Street, Brighton.

The ground floor stocks leather handbags from Florence, Italy, on the first floor friend Phaedra Peer has an art gallery, and the top floor is a cosy nail salon. Jasmine said: “I believe handbags, art and nails go very well together.

“Ever since I was a little girl I always dreamt of having my own shop. I’d read the Thompson Daily with my father, who shared my passion but was too afraid to take the risk. I hope he is proud looking down on me.”

Jasmine was passionate about Chanel, Hermes and Dior handbags but struggled to afford them.

She explained: “I wanted to sell handbags that had the same quality but without the huge price tag. “Little did I know in one year’s time I would be working with the same factories that produce handbags for the top 50 designers in Italy.”

She was inspired by books on philosophy, and entrepreneurs like Theo Paphitis, Richard Branson and Gordon Ramsay.

She said: “I learnt most successful people had the same way of thinking – they believed in themselves, they make sacrifices, they never take ‘no’ for an answer and they network as much as possible.”

Jasmine’s fiancée Michael Tripp was bowled over by her passion for her then non-existent business when they met at a networking event and helped her set up in Brighton.

Their original plan was to source leather from China, but the experience was fraught with language problems, delays and corruption. After six months an order for 1,000 handbags failed a quality inspection and had to be ditched, leaving them with no stock.

In the end Jasmine found an Italian wholesaler which was far better quality but worked out at the same price. She added: “I’ve learnt to never give up on anything and learn from your mistakes. Never compromise on quality, it will end up costing more in the future.”

Jasmine is planning a fortnightly wine and cheese evening with discounts on handbags, manicures and pedicures.