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November 27, 2016

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Designers keep hand-crafted tradition alive

IN the fast-consuming world today, some of us still crave creations with a one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted spirit. Fortunately, some independent accessory brands are meeting the niche market’s demand with the founders’ passion for “everything hand-made,” one of the most celebrated crafting traditions.

Supermarket Bag is a rising star among the world’s designer bag labels thanks in part to founder Giulia Venturi’s passion for the centuries-old traditions of Italian hand-made craftsmanship.

“After my degree in agriculture science, my interest in the artisan industry has developed fast and I have been working as a fashion designer for luxury leather companies, working closely with authentic Italian artisans,” the Rome-based designer said. “Since then, my passion and desire for details and research have been growing remarkably in a profession which travels through centuries-old Italian traditions, handmade goods.”

The value of hand-made items, constructed with utmost care and dedication, is echoed in every individual Supermarket Bag. It is an all-season product that nonetheless follows the seasonal rhythms with successive new thickness and tactile sensations, but also maintains its signature form with an interchangeable handle. Bags are both available in the basic versions and in bolder styles.

The idea to create an ironic yet glamorous version of a simple carry bag for shopping was born through her experience in the luxury sector.

“A new everyday product with an internationally audacious contraposition between daily and luxury use is my intention. Its name, Supermarket Bag, was born as a joke, trying to imagine the beauty of walking into a grocery store carrying a bag adorned with Swarovski,” Venturi said. “It would never be seen just as a traditional accessory. It is a feature that becomes the center of attention.”

Fringes are an identifying embellishment of every Supermarket Bag, applied like cascades in a deliberately messy and eccentric way, creating a chic style that can also be charming and amusing.

Traditional leathers — washed and intensely treated to take on a worn and authentic feel — are mixed and alternated with exotic textures, ranging from pony-skin effects to contrasting python, zebra and crocodile skin designs.

Venturi said she loves to play continuously with mixing-and-matching, original pairings and innovation. “All my inspiration comes from traveling, from people that I have bumped into. I’m looking for a ‘melody’ of contrasts that tells you a story about the traditions and passions of my native place and my compatriots, hopefully in an original way.”

‘Character driven’

Another label with a hand-made core concept is Bea Valdes. Coming from a family that was in the fine jewelry trade for three generations, Manila-born designer Beatrice Panlilio-Valdes was fascinated with embellishments from a young age.

“My pieces are rooted in hand crafts. What can be expressed through the language of beadwork is quite distinctive: It is always an intriguing conversation, which links many different cultures together. Our vision was to bring this into a contemporary context,” she said.

She often says that materials are her muse. “Whether precious or humble, the tactile and visual qualities of stones, fabrics or feathers always spark something in the imagination,” the designer said.

Valdes creates one-of-a-kind pieces, exploring beadwork and other hand-crafted techniques, and uses a wide variety of materials to experiment with.

“I do like to work with semi-precious stones — and usually irregular or unusual ones. I like to experiment with what other people may find less than perfect, to find ways to enhance something and coax it into an appealing setting. I like that they seem character-driven.”

She said the process for most pieces is very organic. It’s about placing one crystal against the next, seeing if it makes sense, removing, replacing, and discovering the best shade and colors. “Though that is much slower than planning everything out ahead, I find that the multitude of changes and decisions made as we go along the route of crafting a single piece leads to a more vibrant object in the end.”

“We have found that we have collectors, people who like to redefine the contours of what one regards as precious,” she added.

The much-celebrated designer remains in the Philippines, working with local artisans and perfecting her craft in her Manila studio. She chooses Manila over New York to maintain a creative environment that allows for the time-intensive hand embroidery work to be carried out. Her bags, belts and jewelry can take up to 10 weeks to make.

“In our atelier, my girls take a lot of pride in their work. Everything is created in-house, from concept to design and production. Everything is proudly made in the Philippines,” she said.




 

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