Tag Hand Stitched

For Lovers Of Luxury Leather…it’s a way of life.

The look…sensual and rich. The feel..it begs to be touched. And definitely, the smell…awakens powerful memories and positive moods, connects to nature and no other scent can imitate that of leather. Leather is a lifestyle; whether it cushions your body in the seat of your automobile or brings warmth to the interior of your home through furniture or floors, frames for mirrors, valued historical books, or customized cigar or jewelry boxes. In fashion, leather’s versatility is everywhere. The range of fashion in outerwear and stylish clothing, protecting your hands from the winter elements in soft lambskin or kidskin gloves, fashioned into the finest bespoke shoes for the well dressed man, or enhancing a diva’s jewelry collection with select leather pieces. And of course Ladies, our favorite…handbags. Let’s be clear, not all leather was created equal. Inexpensive and less durable items are created from bonded leather which is essentially a process of shredding leather scraps and fiber, then mixing it with bonding materials that is then pressed together with a fiber or paper backer. This keeps consumers replacing their products after short periods of wear and tear. So let’s take a quick look at the different types of leather. Cow is the most common source for hides and it is processed in a few ways: Full Grain Leather which is made from the finest natural hides that have not been sanded or buffed to remove imperfections. Durable, does not wear out and over time develops a rich patina. The types of products made from this leather is high quality leather furniture, footwear and bespoke cases. Full grained calfskin handbags are made from the skins of young cattle and are prized for their smooth texture and fine quality. Top Grain leather is the most common type in high-end leather products. It is […]

So What Is Luxury Anyway?

This past week, I read a great online article by James Roumeliotis; a lifestyle marketer titled “Luxury versus Premium versus Fashion: Clarifying the Disparity” in which he discusses how the terms Luxury, Premium and Fashion, can be convoluted and confusing depending on who is defining for what consumer group. And, that brands targeting the affluent must have clarity as to their “lane” with these specific segments. As we continue to clarify our brand, we realize that we offer a Premium product. As Roumeliotis states in his article ” Premium, stands for performance, value added, state-of-the-art, craftsmanship, and timeless design.” What a beautiful and appropriate way to describe Beau Satchelle. Yet, it’s important to add that our long term strategy is to grow our current ‘new brand’ into a luxury lifestyle brand. The terms mentioned above have been adopted in so many ways that you do wonder if mass marketers have weakened the exclusivity of those words. For instance, take the word “bespoke”. Is it losing its power because of it’s overuse in a variety of industries? Webster dictionary defines the term bespoke as dealing in or producing custom-made articles. According to wiseGeek an online blogger, it is a British word that originated among tailors of London’s Seville Row where cloth for custom-made suits was said to be spoken for, or reserved for an exclusive client. Interestingly, Haute Couture is the female version fashion term of the word bespoke which is most connected with men’s tailoring. When marketing to a demographic that appreciates purchasing unattainable products or services, we must strive for offering perfection within our wheelhouse. Being introduced into the affluent market has been an revealing journey for Beau Satchelle as we gain more knowledge, create memorable experiences and build long term relationships with our clients. Our leather creations will […]

The Handbag’s Evolution…

“When you’re a carpenter making a beautiful chest of drawers, you’re not going to use a piece of plywood on the back, even though it faces the wall and nobody will every see it. You’ll know its there, so you’re going to use a beautiful piece of wood on the back. For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through.” – Steve Jobs As Beau Satchelle launch nears, we wanted to pay homage to the leather creators and innovators of our past. The evolution of luxury handbags have a rich and storied history in Europe; many trends and designs grew out of the fashion styles of the French and English, although America designers have put their unique influence on this beautiful accessory. So let’s take a look at the evolution of the handbag….. In Ancient Times, (evidenced in both Nubian and European civilizations), pouches were used by both men and women as a fundamental part of our development as humans to collect food and to transport items. The earliest were made from animal skin, cotton or woven plant fibers. During the Middle Ages, the purse, was made more so with round pieces of leather and a drawstring, had another utilitarian purpose (storing coinage) for men long before women adopted them as a fashion accessory and the need to carry personal items. Many of the early designs for women had to do with the style of the dress (including wide skirts, material in the back of the skirt, slimmer skirts) as to whether these early bags were worn underneath or outside the skirt. In the New World, European pilgrims discovered Native Americans used leather pouches for medicine bags and other pouches of all sizes to preserve and transport items from food […]