Savoir-Faire
One handbag, one world
It seems an easy job. I snap my fingers and there I have the handbag of my dreams, right in front of me. If the truth be told, it is not a magic trick. I spend days deciding on the most appealing shape, the most comfortable interiors, the safest clasp-closure, and the most attractive shades. I make numerous sketches and rip up infinite sheets of paper.
Suddenly everything becomes clear in my mind. I hurry to the workshops to make sure my idea is feasible. The show is about to begin. I witness the color tests. I double-check the paper patterns and I control the proportions of the first prototypes. What is the final result? A handbag with seventy different parts consisting of crocodile leathers, linings and metal accessories. Depending on the customer’s requests, each handbag may take up to five days to be completed.
Finally the delivery date arrives. I feel nervous. Has my imagination - so carefree and boundless on paper - been able to take shape in real life? Every time I behold a finished handbag on the workbench, I go back all over the steps that have led up to its creation. I patiently check even the tiniest details.
Great, everything has been perfectly accomplished!
The craftsmen who make dreams come true
Fifteen people are involved in the making of a handbag, from its design to the final polish, just before being wrapped in its box. These talented craftsmen are happy to share their long-lasting experience with me. They are willing to show me the hidden details of their work, such as the proper filling for a comfortable shoulder strap.
I am always fascinated to see how naturally the craftsmen interpret my sketches and create the bag I have in mind.
From the moment the leathers are spread out on the workbench, the meticulous hands of these craftsmen give life to a choreography of scissors, punches, brushes, needles and thread. This incredible performance is possible thanks to the love these people have for their noble craft. Up until the final act: the birth of the handbag.
A tradition of excellence that thrives on the love that these masters put into their work. If each handbag is unique, it is also because it will carry a bit of their soul, a piece of their heart, forever. I will always be grateful to them for the energy they put into making my dreams come true.
