As of today, Brooklyn-based leather house Maximum Henry now offers beautifully crafted, custom guitar straps. Made by hand in the Williamsburg studio of brand founder Max Cohen, each strap is composed of heavy duty leather that…
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Tucked behind a lush residential street in West Hollywood are the offices of leather goods maker Parabellum. “It has been a busy year,” Head Designer Jason Jones tells CH, as he welcomes us with his very…
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When your own initials are enough
Bottega Veneta joined the personalization club today with the launch of their Initials line at a five day pop up shop within their Milan showroom during the city’s busy design fair, and online through a specialized Initials site. Their trademark intrecciato (woven) pattern has become synonymous with subtle luxury and fine craftsmanship, and their beautifully rich leather goods have earned a cult following for their elegance as well as their durability. As Goyard, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and other luxury leather goods companies have long offered personalization, it’s moved from a trend to an integral way to make these products your own. Feeling its products were not properly constructed to support monograms however, Bottega Veneta put a plan in place to create a new collection designed exclusively for the program.
We were invited to stop by the pop up shop to see the product first-hand and to go through the personalization process. The familiar feeling line includes a variety of totes, wallets, handbags, messenger bags, an iPad case and a belt, ranging in price from $350 – $2,150. Though similar in shape and size to existing products, the 15 items in the mens/womens/unisex collection have in fact been reengineered with different Nappa leathers; the women’s products use lambskin for a softer and slouchier effect, the men’s use calfskin and are thicker, firmer and sturdier. The suede backing is new for the collection, and consideration has gone into the design process to determine where your initials should sit on the product.
Bottega selected a handful of expert artisans to carry out the hand painted monogram process with careful precision that’s only developed over a lifetime. While many of the editors on hand chose a combination of the type options—six colors of the leather, three sizes and eight colors of the letters—we stuck to a monotone palette that’s subtle but still makes a statement.
The Bottega Initials site is already operating and well worth a mention as well. Inviting you to enter your initials upon entry, the well designed site presents all products sporting your monogram already, offering a glimpse at what could be. You can then modify the size and color of the letters until you get it just right. If you’re looking for a bigger statement, personalized luggage is scheduled to arrive later this year.
For a closer look at the pop up shop and its offers see the gallery below.
by Evan Orensten and Graham Hiemstra
Colorful leather goods handcrafted in Paris
Cutting, crafting and dyeing all leather goods by hand in her Paris studio, Emilie Borriglione creates brightly-hued wallets, belts and more under the name Melle Emilie b. Because the design process happens completely by hand, no two pieces are exactly alike in style or shade. I was fortunate to have discovered her booth at a weekend pop-up event in Paris and was charmed by her enthusiasm for her work; her bright personality translates literally with her use of vibrant colors.
Emilie sets her pieces apart with their minimal design, making each pouch, wallet and seamless belt in more than 26 colors—from subdued earth tones to vibrant reds and yellows—all inspired by Borriglione’s love of traveling.
The Melle Emilie b. line sells through Paris’ Créateurs de Mode. For special orders, contact the artist directly through her Facebook page. If you’re really keen on Borriglione’s design, check out fellow Paris-based brand Ursul where Borriglione has recently taken up a design position.
A master of needlepoint designs exclusive belts for everyone’s favorite Olympics-inspired retailer
Inspired since 2007 to bring color to corporate America with whimsical belts looped around the waists of businessmen, Washington, D.C. Tucker Blair is now teaming up with New York-based retailer, Opening Ceremony. Their collection of belts for men and women is a perfect marriage of Tucker Blair’s artistry with embroidered leather belts and Opening Ceremony’s emphasis on creativity.
Among the collection’s five designs is a particularly fitting belt featuring various colorful flags. This international motif references Opening Ceremony’s mission of celebrating the work of designers and artists abroad. The other designs include a standard leopard print, an eye-catching geometric pattern and perhaps the most adventurous, quirky white rabbits prancing across a black scene.
Beginning 15 July 2011, snag one of these snazzy, limited-edition needlepoint belts at Opening Ceremony’s New York and Los Angeles locations or at Ace Hotel in NYC. Otherwise, visit Opening Ceremony’s website to purchase one online for $110.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
