When Valextra, the highly regarded Italian leather goods label, shares its spotlight, it’s worth taking note. This season, as part of its Atelier Ikebana Couture collection, the brand partnered with Kyoto-based kimono-maker Chiso to create a 35-piece series that merges the brand’s iconic Iside bag with Chiso’s traditional kimono craftsmanship. “Couture is about precious pieces that cannot be repeated,” Valextra CEO Sara Ferrero explains. “And the celebration of beauty.”
Each one-of-a-kind bag, available exclusively at valextra.com, is constructed with calfskin leather and a single piece of delicate silk kimono fabric. The textile bears stylized prints depicting ikebana, the Japanese art of arranging flowers. Together, the vivid fabrics and masterful construction highlight Valextra and Chiso’s use of time-honored design techniques, which date back to 1937 and 1555, respectively. “It’s so mesmerizing,” Ferrero says of her visit to Chiso, one of few storied houses of its ilk still in existence. “When you go there, you really want to cry. It’s an incredible gift I received and I want to share it with [the world].”