Tatler+ Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton brings a new level of craftsmanship to luxury bags with its exotic skins collection
Some luxury handbags are more than just investment pieces. As far as functionality goes, they’re the vessels that protect and carry day-to-day valuables. But where fashion is concerned, handbags are the icing on the cake of a look. That being said, French fashion house Louis Vuitton’s exotic skins collection is a special kind of frosting.
Vuitton is familiar with crafting its goods using only the most prized materials. Through its exploration of exotics, the maison considers crocodile to be the pinnacle. Working with these skins is a meticulously planned-out journey from beginning to end. A specialised skill is required to work through the long hours that go into creating each bag, and Vuitton’s craftsmen are present in each of the 350 steps of the way.
How the bags are designed is determined once they’re tanned in a process that takes anywhere from six to eight months, depending on the nature and size of the skin. Colouring, nourishing and buffing take an additional six weeks to complete, before the process of even shaping the bag begins. As the objective is to find the best way to exhibit the skin’s natural beauty, the bag’s design, structure, treatment and finish all take their cues from the natural patterns of the skins.
Continuity of patterns in each piece is crucial, so skins are chosen and assembled in a way that results in edges that meet seamlessly. This process requires much precision and attention to detail not just where uniformity is concerned, but also in the sameness of colour and lustre of each surface area. Bags are hand-buffed with an agate stone (polished every two days to retain its smoothness) to a glistening finish. Several hours are devoted to assembling each bag; the creation of a single Capucines handle, for instance, requires at least four hours of work to fashion just the right curve in its bow, and fold in its outer skin.
