With all my friends at Cannes this week (just kidding), it's got me thinking of the Cote d'Azur. And in particular how to create that feeling in a bag...happily I recently got this amazing leather which I've turned into my perfect summer tote. It reminds me of the kind of understated elegance and boho richness that is old time lines like K.Jacques from St. Tropez, artisan sandal makers since 1933.A few weeks ago, soon after the trunk show at Taylor De Cordoba, I got an email from a woman named Adriana Caras. She said she'd read about my line and the fact that I use recycled/remnant leather for my bags. She used to have her own shoe/bag line and had a lot of Italian hardware and leather left over. She asked, would I like to come take a look at it? Of course! So I met her at her storage place in a squat, seedy bldg in West Hollywood which nonetheless serves as the office bldg for fabulous-fille Alexandra von Furstenberg (but that's besides the point.) Ms. Caras however was a lovely as can be. A super-chic mother of two, she abandoned the accessories trade to mother and be a consultant to other lines.
All this is to tell you that she had this leather - that I've made into one of my fav shopping totes. OMG, it kinda of makes me crazy I love it so much. She got it herself in Italy in the 90s from a tannery owned by brothers (who you could just imagine as hot) where they use only eco friendly dye processes. And this was the 90s when everyone wasn't on the "green" band wagon to be cool, they actually have been doing this process for ages. I love that. And I love that I bought it remnant from lovely Ms. Caras.
It's not on the website yet, but if you want to pre-order one just email me: clare@seevivier.com
p.s. if you're in LA and want to come to my trunk show at my house on Thursday night, please rsvp to elsehenry@gmail.com.
