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Established in 2000 in the SF Bay Area, 49 Square Miles is a collaborative effort amongst seasoned individuals in the accessory industry. The collection utilizes Italian leathers in rich, saturated color, paired with exposed stitching and minimal hardware. These details lend to a distinct, organic and artisanal feel - a direct reflection of the San Francisco Bay area, its people and its culture.
Abitax is a “made in Japan” Street fashion accessories line developed by the Tokyo based industrial product designer Yamaguchi. In typical Japanese fashion they find the use of stylish color, clever design and integration of function for everyday use. The card cases and iPad cases are singularly unique and tactile in terms of how they look but also how they feel in your hand. These make great gifts for someone who has everything yet could always use a unique something else.
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Los Angeles based architect Alice Park designs articles to hold one's belongings with the aim of "enriching function with classic style." Objects range from small items like the leather key fob on site to full sized bags. Her collection combines clean lined luxury materials with strong color and subtle, intricate details. She manages somehow to distill to the purest form each style - keeping a shock of color here and there to mix things up. Like all architects her sensibility is precise, clean and well articulated. She uses Italian leathers but produces locally in Los Angeles, her hometown.
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Apolis is a platform for a network of global citizens who are empowering people through opportunity. Apolis co-creates products with manufacturers and allows the market to determine the future of each item produced. They know that donating proceeds can be effective, but believe that advocating for access to opportunity and creating that opportunity is even better. As the line between development and business is becoming blurred in the marketplace, consumers are beginning to see their integral role in the process as they demand to know how, where and by whom their products are made. With select products, Apolis connects developing economies to the global marketplace through seasonal stories and tracks the tangible social results. They believe in “advocacy through industry.” Although Apolis is heavily inspired by philanthropy they are a for-profit social enterprise wherein the customers act as benefactors, allowing Apolis to grow as a sustainable business instead of depending on fundraising for support. They feel that this model of social business is the most valuable and effective way to accomplish their ambitious long term goals of “advocacy through industry.”
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Archival, based in Portland OR and made there as well, believes in supporting US-based apparel companies and manufacturing traditions. They selected the best quality materials they could find: US-sourced waxed fabrics, Horween leather, brass hardware, and "best in category" webbing from the UK. Occasionally they source a component internationally when appropriate substitutes are not available domestically. Perhaps over time their hope is that such efforts will help to stimulate the domestic market and encourage US manufacturers to expand their offerings. Achival bags are designed to be highly functional, to wear well, to be maintainable, and to last you a lifetime.
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The Bellroy office and team are based in the south east of Australia (split between Melbourne and the Surf coast), but they work with creatives all around the world. The mission of this small and highly talented group of designers is a focused one: " to improve the way we carry." more specifically how we can carry more efficiently, provide better access, and generate better carrying experiences. For the moment, the Bellroy team is taking on wallets - an area that in their words has existed "in a deep freeze for the last generation or two." It's also an area in which they have vast experience designing for much larger brands. "We want to combine modern progress and insights with the joy of the craft world. Beautiful pieces that tie these two places together."
The significance of the owl ? The Bellroy team explains it as such: "Owls really seem like the true global citizen. They are on almost every continent, yet still adapt to each of the regions they are in. City or country, night or day ..they're pretty cool creatures...."
Bonastre is a Parisian contemporary brand of sumptuous vegetable leather bags and accessories suitable for both men or women. This environmentally friendly collection has been exclusively handcrafted using natural, non-treated cattle hides in accordance with ancient vegetable processes. (based on oak bark and olive oil finishing versus the commonly used but highly contaminating chromium tanning). Made in Spain, Bonastre celebrates the wonder of the handmade and the contemporary reinterpretation of tradition. Its designs revel in the uniqueness of each item and reflects the desire to create products that will last and be aesthetically pleasing at the same time. The Bonastre bag is at once radical in its purity, voluptuous in its effects and nonchalant in its appearance : It is elegant, timeless, and essential.
A bit about the designer Fernando Bonastre. Fernando is originally from Spain. After graduating from Fashion School in Madrid he relocated to Paris to begin his career in design. He worked in design and marketing/branding for both Christian Lacroix and Claude Montana before going out on his own to launch the Bonastre collection. He is very much influenced by the creative process of minimalist architects like Oscar Niemeyer and Tadao Ando in their use of pure construction and movement.
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Like most well thought out products, Clare Vivier began making bags in response to a need. Working for French television and busy traveling she noticed a lack of functional laptop cases that were also stylish. She fabricated her own which quickly parlayed into her now eponymous handbag line. Since then she has collaborated with Theory, Steven Allan, Refinery 29, Commune, Wren and Jasmin Shokrian. She attributes her sense of chic simplicity to her strong connection with France, where she spends a significant amount of time every year with her son and French documentarian husband, Thierry Vivier. She marries classic French glamour and minimalist Los Angeles cool to produce a line of handbags, clutches and small goods that are as chic as they are useful. Clare Vivier's desing principle is timeless but her aesthetic is bold, always taking into consideration the elegant tension between modern detail and classic shapes. While her bags are now available globally, Clare roots herself in the Los Angeles fashion community with a nod to socially conscious construction and proudly bears the moniker, locally made. From conception to fabrication her line has been made exclusively in Los Angeles since 2006, consciously engaging in ethical manufacturing practice without comprismise.
Defy Bags was created by Chris Tag - a Chicago art director who grew up in Dayton, Ohio. For as long ago as he could remember, Dayton was a proud industrial auto manufacturing town. When he was a child Chris vividly remember being at friend's houses when their dads would come home from working long days at the General Motors plant. Their rough and dirty hands seemed to tell the same stories they did; that they loved hand-crafting cars. Now that and other factories are shuttered. What do closed factories have to do with a small company called Defy Bags? Everything. When he started tinkering around with sewing on an old industrial leather machine, it reminded him of learning to work on cars as a boy with his father, or wood working with his grandfather. It reminded Chris of the uncompromising perfection in everything they did. With this in mind, Chris Tag's mission is to try and carry on their forgotten tradition. In his words, "I believe you don’t just create with your hands and brain. But with your hands, brain and heart. That’s where the art comes in. That’s what starts to make you a Craftsman."
Defy has been proudly manufacturing durable goods since 2008, with each and every hand-crafted product inspected by Chris himself. All goods are crafted to be simple, clean-lined, sturdy and manufactured to a level that would make his grandfather proud. He and his team art direct each minute detail to ensure every bag feels truly one of a kind - they mostly use vintage or reclaimed durable materials to do so. Well, that and imported solid steel and brass Austri Alpin Cobra buckles from Switzerland that are load bearing up to 1,000 lbs and used by special forces around the globe because of their world class quality and construction. The "Defiant Team" likes to say "Pardon the pun, but at each and every turn we like to Defy expectation."
Shira Entis, a fashion designer and lover of all things tiny and over-sized, and Alex Bell, a lawyer and seeker of adventures, have been fleamarket addicts since they met at Brown University. Frustrated by the inconvenience and environmental hazard of accumulating plastic bags while marketing, they craved a convenient and fashion-hot tote that could fit all of their wares. Fleabags are designed as their ideal solution - dapper, large, lightweight and sturdy carry-alls - that are also eco-minded. Fleabags strives to create products that are as green as possible while maintaining high quality and covetable design. Fleabags are made with organic and vintage materials, vegetable-tanned and re-purposed leathers, and other parts all sourced in the USA. All silkscreens use water-based ink. Fleabags are made in the USA with good old-fashioned sewing. They are in fact locally made in the NYC area, in Limited Edition, by hand, and in small production runs
The Frrry collection (pronounced ferry) is all about construction. Designed and made in The Netherlands using vegetable tanned Italian leather, creator Ferry Cornelis Gerardus Meewisse founded the line in 2002 after passing exams for 3D design at the Arnhem Academy of Arts. Since the inception of Frrry the collection has received awards for Dutch design and been invited to show in museums and shows throughout Europe.
In Ferry's words the basis of the design for each product created relates to the foldings and structures of the design. He does not focus on making up new forms or following fashion trends. This is one of the many reasons I brought in his work as I feel it fits in so well with the timeless focus of the roztayger assortment. The work is more about concepts and ideas of how to make bags and finding useful ways to use construction to its fullest potential.
The collection is contemporary and has a recognizable personal style. Small series of new designs are added a few times a year but do not follow a fashion calendar. The items of each series are bonded by a concept - for example an idea about folding or how consumers use their accessories. The designs are always about presenting the idea in a simple, convincing and beautiful way. For this reason the pieces are never uselessly adorned with distracting decorations.
In Ferry's words "The moment of presentation of new designs does not necessarily coincide with the seasons. Moreover the lifespan of a design is not defined by cursory trends, but by renewal within the collection."
Hype Luggage collection is made in England and as such conveys the passion, dedication, quality and craftsmanship of the product. Hype Luggage is not churned out in a mass production line with profit margin as the main motivation. The aim is quite simply to make the finest products possible. The products are made for ’life’, designed to withstand the rigours of regular use and manufactured with the same integrity without comprime in aesthetics.
At Hype only full grain leathers are used as this is the strongest, most durable part of the leather. Over the life of a product full grain leather will improve in appearance developing a genuine and unique character. A lot of what makes Hyoe products special is on the inside and in the manufacturing. The leather is ‘skived’ or thinned in selected areas to make the leather more workable and allows the ability to create designs that would otherwise be compromised. Stress points are stitched using techniques that offer maximum strength where needed. Handles and attachments are reinforced inside the product to minimize the risk of pulling away or through. Stitches are always doubled back through existing needle holes - a time consuming practice which is cosmetically more attractive but also better for the integrity of the bag. Where stitching finishes or ends many manufacturers will simply ‘snip’ the thread close to the surface of the product. This leaves a loose end and looks like a small hair sticking up. Hype pulls through every thread. It is then tied and knotted and finally secured with a special, waterproof adhesive to ensure it stays in place. Riri zippers are used as they are among the the finest in the world. The passion and pride in manufacturing products in the best way possible way is key to the ethos of HYPE. "Without Comprimise" is a tenet that designer Paul Holmes takes to heart and this in turn ensures the longevity of each and every product.
The Il “Bussetto” collection began in 2004. All goods are handmade in Milan, Italy using the finest leathers and all natural dyes and glues are used throughout. The Il Bussetto craftsmen use an ancient Italian technique which allows for production without using any kind of seams. Each item starts out color-less - It is then shaped by hand and hand painted with natural tinctures. The coloring is absorbed by the hide in varying shades thus giving each product its individual transparency and sheen. The Il Bussestto range offers a unique look....minimal, richly hued and of stunning quality. The color palette is rich and sumptuous - gorgeous jewel tones and natural shades.
The name "bussetto” refers to an instrument which is used by craftsmen to polish cuoio leather.
NYC’s J.Panther Luggage Co. (J.P.L.C.) builds bags and accessories that draw from the exacting standards of pre-‘60s, pre-mass production in US manufacturing. Both the inside and outside of the styles produced offer innovative functionality in tune with today’s modern day needs while never compromising beauty of form. Eschewing rapid turnover of designs in favor of focused development of just a handful of key pieces, each item undergoes up to two years of R&D (research and development ) before being hand built in Connecticut in workshops where high-end luggage has been crafted for generations.
Designed and engineered to stay with you for life, developing greater character with prolonged use, the material ingredients are key and sourced without compromise. The leather comes from Chicago’s renowned Horween tannery (est. 1905); lightly waxed 21oz canvas is imported by J.P.L.C. from a Scottish supplier who works with defense forces worldwide. Both materials are water-resistant and proven to withstand the harshest of climate conditions. Built without haste to ensure a long life, these are luxury goods that you needn’t be precious about using - they only get better with age.
click here for more on the JPanther Story
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KikaNY was founded in 2009 by Kika Vliegenthart & Sabine Spanjer.
Both born in the Netherlands, Sabine was an interactive designer before moving to Brooklyn, and Kika finished her MA in Economics before becoming a leathersmith under Barbara Shaum in Manhattan. Their goal is to design high quality goods that will last a lifetime - ones with clean, simple lines that eliminate the unnecessary.
All of their products are handmade with traditional techniques passed on from legendary leathersmith Barbara Shaum. Kika trained and worked with Barbara for more than 15 years and worked along side her for designers like Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Donna Karen.
To keep the the tradition alive they work with machines custom-built for their studio and tools from old-school suppliers in France and the UK. Most of our resources come from Europe as well. They use high-end leather from Portugal, Italy, and Belgium, and the solid brass hardware is hand-tooled in a family-owned foundry in Europe.
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Born in Holland but raised in Paris, Lola Ehrlich is the name behind the Lola Millinery. Creative roots: In Paris Lola and her sister were home schooled by their Bohemian parents. As a teenager she trained to dance ballet but quickly found other talents overtaking her - her ambition led her to NYC where she began her love affair with what she lovingly called the "big and ugly NYC." Starting out in knitwear design Lola then took a detour as a magazine editor where she got the chance to work with such notables as Patrick Demarchelier and Mario Testino. Going back to school at FIT during her time as an editor she learned the trade of hat making - feeling its connection with weaving and dying (both crafts she had admired and dabbled in for some time) She finally decided it was time for her own vision and opened a millinery storefront in the east village in 1989. Small and chic - a fitting place to begin Lola's millinery journey. If you ask her what inspires her uniquely quirkly yet entirely wearable creations she will tell you without pause : "It's the L line. It's a great cross section of New York's population, 100 ideas per ride."
Lola is known amongst other things for her painterly unique combinations of color in trims, stiching and/or embellishments - one of the reasons why you see her hats in so many editorial settings and in so many prestigous retail locations worldwide. What is her favorite color ? she is often asked - her reply: " None. Every color is fantastic depending on the shade it is paired with. In theory, I am not a fan of purple, but purple matched with a rich yellow or burnt orange is beautiful. A red flower is never just red. It has a black or yellow center and that is what makes it so red."
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Lovell Designs creates handbags, home decor and children's accessories in clean shapes, natural proportions and vibrant colour. The products are a precise balance between inspiration and function. Everyday items become decorative pieces that stand on their own.
Founder Alison Lovell left the art world in 2004 to start the privately owned and operated Canadian company. Building on a tradition of Swiss precision and quality, the products are designed by and hand-dyed exclusively for Lovell Designs. Production runs are kept small. Fabrics are printed on 100% cotton canvas of the highest quality.
Designer Melissa Del Bono established meli melo in April 2005 in the UK and headquartered in London. Recalling her time living in Aeolian Islands, Melissa describes how her early obsession with bags began with one bag in particular - "It was a huge wicker basket and I took it everywhere. We were inseparable! I would find any excuse to take it out with me. I just wanted something pretty to carry on my arm like the ladies in the villages would do." A passion for vintage continues for Melissa as she continually looks backward for her inspiration, "The past is a great source of inspiration for me. Take the wicker basket bags for example in the past they were used as feeding bowls for horses to eat from while they were on the move."
Meli melo from the outset has developed a strong brand cache and international recognition. The mission of the brand is to create versatile, desirable, stylish yet subtle handbags, which are led by strong design. Luxury leather and the distinct shapes, sculptural yet understated, Meli Melo bags blend day and evening. Chic and practical. The first ever Meli Melo bag - the “B.B. Bag” featured a set of unique patented inverted handles which sought to revolutionize the concept of how to carry your bag. The B.B Bag evolved in ten years to become the infamous Thela Bag, which has now become a worldwide phenomenon and the most popular style.
The list of celebrities who love meli melo is extensive; from Olivia Palermo to Kate Middleton, Sienna Miller, Penelope Cruz, Margherita Missoni, Poppy Delavigne, Kate Moss, Nicole Ritchie to Danni Minogue, they have all been seen wearing meli melo. Meli melo naturally appeals to a number of different demographic groups though - not just celebrities. The Thela Bag continues to be the most popular, practical bag in the collection. It’s sleek trapeze shape - inverted handles offer the market something original and effortless for everyday.
A bit of background on Porter: Kichizo Yoshida founded the company in 1918 in Tokyo and continued with bag manufacturing until he was 88 years old. Central to their identity and continuing to this day the corporate logo is “heart and soul into every stitch – We believe Japanese craftsmen’s skills are No. 1 in the world. “ Porter goods continue to be designed and made in Japan and the impeccable quality and design sense confirms this. Today Yoshida's 2nd son runs the business while the leaders of the design team Susumu Hasegawa (orginally from Comme des Garcons) and Ko Kuwhahata "continue the theme of integrity - integrating the cutting edge of the times.” The line is vast with many styles and divisions. The Tanker, Smoky, Dual and Heat collection shown here at roztayger are among those that have been the most popular over time with the Porter following.
In English, Porter means “a person employed to carry luggage and supplies”. In French, Porter is a verb, meaning “to carry” and “prêt-a-porter” means “ready-to-wear” or fashionable outfits. The synergy at such levels of its meaning makes Porter an apt name for the collection.
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New York City. In the Spring of 1999. With the promise of a bold new world imminent, Gene Miao, an architect with a fervor for fashion, sought to combine his distinctive creative disciplines to fulfill the dream of a modern luxury -- one which unifies exuberant expression with subtle pragmatic construction. And in the wake of this alliance between desire & necessity, we created “ro”.
Inspired by the undeniable yet understated energy of NYC, each season we explore an original themed collection that adapts to the ever evolving expectations of cosmopolitan life. Harmonious color and quality fabrication are brought together with innovative, weather resistant premium materials to satisfy even the most active of lifestyles. ro is the promise of a timeless beauty that will also withstand the test of time.
Samuji is a women's clothing and accessories line designed by the namesake creative studio based in Helsinki, Finland. It was founded in 2009 by Samu-Jussi Koski, the former creative director of Marimekko textile house. The Samuji accessories collection featured at roztayger is permanent and timeless and not based on seasonal fluctuations. Samuji's ambition is to produce timeless and sustainable design that serves a purpose yet tells a story. All items are crafted from premium quality materials from European and Japanese suppliers and produced in Europe by carefully selected manufacturers who insist on the highest quality and ethicality.
Samuji graces the racks and shelves of some of the most distinguished fashion, concept and department stores from around the world, from New York to Tokyo and London and has been covered widely in leading international publications including Vogue Italia, Vogue Nippon, Monocle, WWD and Wallpaper.
Samuji's first flagship store opened in Helsinki in the summer of 2011.
The Swedish bag brand Sandqvist was founded in 2004 by Anton Sandqvist when he made the first bag on an old industrial sewing mashine. Soon his brother Daniel and their childhood friend Sebastian also joined the company.
Sandqvist designs bags and accessories for an urban lifestyle - items to be used every day irregardless of gender. The nordic nature, with its mountains, lakes and vast unpopulated areas has always been one of the main inspirations of the brand. Accordingly, Sandqvist’s bags are uncomplicated and beautiful, with a clear Swedish heritage. Features such as carefully selected and durable materials, minutely worked details and an everyday functionality are all close to the designers' hearts and their vision or the brand. These designs are understated, sporty and elegant - easy on the eye. Timeless - like nature itself. All natural vegetable tanned leathers and naturally treated canvas is used. No chemicals are used in any part of the process.
Having previously worked for Vogue, Michael Kors and Vanity Fair, makeup artist Shawn Burke created the original prototypes of her bags for her work on photoshoots and movie sets. Soon clients and fellow makeup artists were coveting the bags, crafted from leather and suede in vivid colorways. What began as a professional staple has quickly become the go-to accessory for both inside and out of the handbag.
Shawn Burke Ltd. officially launched in 2010 with longtime friend and colleague Camille Mason serving as Creative Director.
Founded on necessity of design and everyday glamour, Shawn Burke accessories are designed and manufactured in California by master leather craftsmen.
Unit Portables is a system of bags and pouches that structures your gadgets in a smart and stylish way. It protects your precious pods and gadgets from dangers in the outer world. The company is a collaboration between like-minded individuals with varied backgrounds in design, fashion and technology, based in the creative hub of Stockholm, Sweden. This mix of ideas about what makes a perfect bag for a modern life led to a new way of thinking and the launch of Unit Portables. The ideas is this: Each of us now carries laptops, iPads, cameras, mp3 players and more, but there are few options out there that allow you to transport all these in an organised and secure way - while at the same time incorporating a modern style sensibility.
Unit Portables™ mission is to fill the gap between boring computer bags and trendy fashion notebook bags.
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Utility Canvas was started in 1990 by Hal Grano and Jillian Kaufman. Utility canvas designs and products are a synthesis of Jillian’s background in fashion and Hal’s appreciation for the sturdy and useful canvas packs he used as a canoe guide in Maine for many summers.
After designing and merchandising for Perry Ellis Men and Paul Stuart Womens, Jillian left NYC to study art and painting in Philadelphia. When she needed a bag to carry art supplies, she made one -- out of canvas. Inspired by the versatility of this age old, natural fabric, Jillian and Hal began designing bags to be made exclusively from canvas and Utility Canvas was born.
Simple, practical, versatile designs that never forsake style. Made in the USA, Utility Canvas products are all of the highest quality materials and workmanship.