Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran, the designers behind the Parisian label Lemaire, are in great shape for S/S 2017. The duo have designed a range of artisanally produced molded leather bags – a technique usually reserved for small leather goods like cigar cases and coin pouches – produced in the Tuscan town of Impruneta.
The accessories collection comprises curving organic and utility-focused shapes, crafted in soft vegetable-tanned leather. ‘We’ve been working with artisans in the Impruneta region for three seasons,’ explain Lemaire and Tran. ‘We’ve always admired molded leather techniques and have finally found a workshop as passionate as us in working to achieve this technical prowess.’
Lemaire’s S/S 2017 collection, with its idiosyncratically fluid lines and diaphanous shapes, works in contrast to the bulbous and geometric forms in its accompanying bag collection. ‘They hang like baubles against the drape of the clothing,’ the duo explain.
The ‘Egg Bag’, as its name suggests, boasts a balloon-like and voluminous interior, its form open to interpretation. ‘It’s tactile and curious,’ Lemaire explain. ‘One can see in it a big belly, a frog, and even a cooking pan. It’s a very comforting shape.’ The other styles in the accessories offering – including a camera bag – have more a more defined aesthetic. The former is inspired by the form and flap detail of school satchels.
‘The colours are as soft as the shapes are,’ the duo add. Alongside timeless black, the bags are crafted in olive green, raspberry and tan shades. They also complement the rusty backdrop of Impruneta, which is renowned for its terracotta production. The tones also reflect those in Lemaire’s S/S 2017 ready-to-wear pieces, like a light khaki green shirt with a deep V-neck and oversized black buttons, and deep red pleated dress layered over matching wide legged trousers.
Using a complex handcrafted process, each of Lemaire’s designs are created using a wooden last, carved into the shape of the bag. Soaked pieces of leather are stretched over the last, and a wooden frame is positioned around the shape to aid its formation during the drying process.
The frame is placed under a press before being sculpted by Impruneta’s artisans. Once the designs have been massaged towards their final shape, they are placed in the sun to dry. Then, each frame is removed, the leather is trimmed, and the pieces of leather that make up each bag are assembled. Finishing touches include hand-painted and waxed edges and minimal hardware embellishments. When it comes to artisanal prowess and attention to detail, Lemaire is in a mould of its own.
Left, the bags in the collection have been developed using a molded leather technique. Right, an artisan’s hands works the leather
Left, vegetable tanned leather is stitched together on a sewing machine. Right, ‘Egg Bag’
Lemaire’s camera bag is created from a simple rectangular shape, with a circular molded lens element
A bag with a metal fastening is inspired by the flap-detail of school satchels
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Lemaire website
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spotHeritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
-
Discover midcentury treasures in Marylebone with Álvaro by AppointmentLondon is full of sequestered design havens, and Wallpaper* knows them all. Allow us to point you in the direction of Álvaro González’s shop window on Nottingham Place, home to a bonanza of beautiful 20th-century antiques
-
Beach chic: the all-new Citroën Ami gets an acid-tinged, open-air Buggy variantCitroën have brought a dose of polychromatic playfulness to their new generation Ami microcar, the cult all-ages electric quadricycle that channels the spirit of the 2CV for the modern age
-
Tranquil and secluded, Lemaire’s new Tokyo flagship exudes a sense of homeIn Tokyo’s Ebisu neighbourhood, Lemaire’s tranquil new store sees the French brand take over a former 1960s home. Co-artistic directors Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran tell Wallpaper* more
-
Utilitarian men’s fashion that will elevate your everydayFrom Prada to Margaret Howell, utilitarian and workwear-inspired men’s fashion gets an upgrade for S/S 2024
-
Paris Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2024: Loewe to HermèsThe best of Paris Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2024 in our ongoing report, from Jonathan Anderson’s church of masculinity at Loewe to a consideration of pleasure from Véronique Nichanian at Hermès
-
At Uniqlo U, Christophe Lemaire is designing clothes to last for lifeAs his latest Uniqlo U collection arrives in stores, French designer Christophe Lemaire defines his conception of ‘modern dressing’ – a modular wardrobe of reconsidered archetypes which are built to last
-
Lounging around: Christophe Lemaire and Uniqlo launch unisex collection -
Uniqlo celebrates 20 years in the UKAs Uniqlo celebrates a landmarck two decades in the UK, we look back to our interivew Yuki Katsuta, Uniqlo's head of research and design, as he discusses the Japanese retailer's design vision for the future
-
Martín Ramírez's artworks play hide-and-seek around the body‘The artist managed to create an intimate topography that still speaks to so many people today', says Lemaire's Sarah-Linh Tran of the artist which has inspired a women's capsule collection
-
The everyday alchemy in Clarisse Demory’s set design
