The Luxury of Leather

Running Head: THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 1

The Luxury of Leather: Women’s Designer Handbags

Kajah Houston

Miranda Garcia

Sarah Safar

Amy Wheeler

University of North Texas

THE LUXURY OF LEATHER

Interior

The earliest handbag dates all the way back to 2600 B.C.E., when Egyptians used a

double-handled leather bag held by sticks (Campbell, n.d.). The ancient Sumerian culture,

Greeks and Roman’s all used handbags as well. In fact, ancient Greeks used a leather bag called

a byrsa, which translates to purse and Roman woman used a net purse called reticulum which

was the inspiration of the reticule of the 1790s (Campbell, n.d.). Handbags were used by men

until the 1400s when they then became unisex (Nyamache, n.d.). Today, women are the target

market for handbag companies. Although handbags are still used to carry belongings, they have a

different use today; handbags are seen as a status symbol and an accessory that completes an

outfit. By the 1800s, no woman would leave her house without her bag (Johnson, 2002). Leather

bags were introduced in 1815 and provided another option for women. Saddle maker and

luggage houses in Paris in the late nineteenth century like Hermes were leaders in making leather

bag designs (Campbell, n.d.). Even though these bags were made decades ago, they are used

today as a way for consumers to create their own unique and individual style. According to

Women’s Wear Daily, handbags have become the most important accessory driving the fashion

industry (Grotts, 2013). Handbags are such a commodity that statistics show, retail sales value

women’s handbags at approximately 9.2 billion dollars in 2015 (“Retail Sales”, n.d.). In fact,

handbags are extremely relevant today because studies have shown that certain bags, like the

Birkin, are a better investment than the stock market (Golgowski, 2016). These bags are

considered an investment because brands like Hermes use tanneries based out of France that

have been known as elite tanners since the 1800s (FNA, 2013). Hermes, Fendi and Prada are

known as the most elite handbag makers from Italy and France in the fashion industry. You will

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have a chance to experience the luxury of leather handbags up close in person with famous bags

provided by The Simone Handbag Museum and The Tassen Museum of Bags and Purses.

Hermes

Hermes started in 1837 by Thierry Hermes as a carriage company making saddles and

carriages for the wealthy (Jean-Louis, 2010). This was an affluent business for the family to be

in because only the wealthy could afford to travel in horse drawn carriages. Emile-Maurice

Hermes took over the company in 1879 and soon realized that technology was evolving and

changing the way people traveled (Lohse, 2011). He knew if he didn’t change the direction of

the company, they wouldn’t last. He then thought of the idea to produce luxury luggage, folding

portable furniture, and other items made specifically for traveling by boat, plane and car

(Milbank, 2005). Emile-Maurice’s son in law Robert Dumas took over the company in 1905 and

is known for his legendary creations of handbags later known as the Kelly bag and the Bolide

(Lohse, 2011). The Bolide (See Appendix A, Figure 1; Helton 2007), created in 1923 was the

first bag in the world to have a zipper (Helton, 2007). The Kelly bag (See Appendix A, Figure 2;

Milbank, 2005) received its name in 1956 when Grace Kelly was shown on the cover of LIFE

Magazine using the bag to hide her pregnant stomach (Milbank, 2005). In 1978 Jean- Louis

Dumas took over the company and in 1981 boarded a plane traveling from Paris to London. On

the flight he happened to sit next to Jane Birkin and through conversation, the iconic Birkin bag

(See Appendix A, Figure 3) was born.

Fendi

In Rome, 1925 an Italian couple by the name of Edoardo and Adele Fendi started the first

handbag and fur company in the city (Senft, 2011). In the 1920s Adele created the Selleria

leather series which was inspired by her love for the leather saddles seen on passing horse drawn

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carriages outside of the Fendi shop (De Rosee, 2013). Edoardo and Adele never thought

everyone around the world would soon know their small shop as a luxury fashion brand. In

1946, Adele’s daughter Paola joined the family business at the young age of fifteen years old and

later inspired her other sisters to join the business as well. The daughters took on their own roles

in Fendi. Paola was in charge of furs, Anna leather, Franca with client relations, Carla with

business coordination and Aida with sales (“Fendi”, 2015). Fendi was quickly growing and it

was apparent they were going to need to seek some help from outside of the family. The

daughters decided to look into hiring a fresh designer to bring some new ideas to the brand.

There were many up and coming young fashion designers living in Paris in the 19th century one

of those being Karl Lagerfeld (Power, 2004). Despite Adele Fendi’s opinion, the Fendi daughters

decided to ask Karl Lagerfeld to join the company (Amed, 2015). Soon after Karl Lagerfeld

joined the Fendi family, the iconic ‘double f’ Fendi logo also called the Zucca was born (Pavitt,

2005). Karl Lagerfeld took the Fendi brand to the next level with his unique vision of furs,

fashion and bright colors. In 1997, Venturini Fendi, one of Adele’s granddaughters, created the

Baguette bag (See Appendix A, Figure 4). The small bag gets its name from the similar look of

carrying a baguette underneath your arm walking home from the grocery store (“Fendi”, 2012).

The bag unexpectedly took off and with Fendi not able to fulfill all of the requests, they

developed a waiting list style business that is still present today (De Rosee, 2013). Years later in

2009, Venturini created another grand bag called the Peekaboo (Appendix A, Figure 5). The

Peekaboo gets its name from the side pockets that fold down revealing the lining and implying

that “sometimes the inside is more important than the outside (De Rosee, 2013). The Baguette

and the Peekaboo are both major iconic pieces part of the Selleria Collection. Today, all of the

bags in the collection are made completely by hand (De Rosee, 2013).

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Prada

In 1913 Mario Prada opens his first store in Milan’s oldest mall, Galleria Vitorrio

Emanuele II (Senft, 2011). Within his first decade of business, Mario Prada became the official

supplier to the Italian Royal Household. Because of this extreme title, Prada is able incorporate

the House of Savoy’s coat of arms into its trademark logo. Prada’s Galleria Vitorrio location

soon becomes a premier destination to the most elite people of Europe (“Prada Group”, n.d.). In

1950 Prada develops a new type of Nylon after years of research and product development. The

fabric is called Saffiano and is known for being durable because its scratch and water resistant

properties (Fobs, 2015). In the 1970’s Miuccia Prada, Mario’s granddaughter took over the

company and in 1977 her husband, Patrizio Bertelli joins the brand and together they take the

Prada brand to another level (O’hagan, 2013). In 1978, Miuccia Prada created the iconic black

nylon rucksack with a small label (“Miuccia Prada”, n.d.). At the time, fashion was all about big

labels and lots of them so this was considered a risk. The rucksack did very well and is one of

the reasons Prada is now a billion dollar company. From there, Prada would continue to create

fashions that were very different than the rest of the fashion industry (“Miuccia Prada”, n.d.).

Miuccia and Patrizio opened up their second store in Via della Spiga in Milan. The store

represented the new image of the brand since the take over of Miuccia and Patrizio. The store is

modern and has a pale green finish that becomes the look for all of their future stores (“Prada

Group”, n.d.).

Interior Flap

In 1981 Jean-Louis Dumas sat down on an airplane traveling from Paris to London and

happened to sit next to singer and actress, Jane Birkin, who at the time was known for her role in

La moutarde me monte au nez and Ex-fan des sixties (Jane, 2003). Jean-Louis Dumas looked at

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her handbag and saw she was carrying an unkempt straw carryall (Milbank, 2004). Throughout

the rest of their flight they exchanged a conversation where Jean-Louis Dumas joked about Jane

needing a bag with pockets after her belongings fell out of her purse. Jane joked back saying she

would own a bag with pockets the day Hermes makes one (Leitch, 2012). Three years later, in

1984 the iconic Hermes Birkin bag was released. Last year, in 2015 PETA released an

unfortunate video that showed Crocodiles at a farm located in Texas being poorly treated before

being used to make the Birkin bags (“Exposed”, n.d.). When Jane Birkin saw this she was

extremely upset and looked for ways for her name to be taken off the bag. The Hermes family

was also very upset about the video and respected her concern for the mistreatment of animals

(Sowray, 2015). They are focusing on making conscious decisions for a successful future and

today they have a strong relationship. Hear more about their story and relationship from Jane

Birkin herself at the exhibit.

Back

At the end of the exhibit you will be able to pick up some exciting mementos. The

merchandise available will include but not be limited to; Jane Birkin CDs and movies, postcards

from Hermes, Prada and Fendi, postcards from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, books about the

history of purses including Handbags: The Power of the Purse and key chains that are replicas of

the iconic bags (See Appendix B, Figures 7-13). Jane Birkin will also be available to sign any

CDs and movies purchased at the museum.

Props, Film, Music

When you walk into the Metropolitan Museum of Art and make your way to The Luxury

of Leather: Women’s Designer Handbags exhibit you will immediately see the video How a

Leather Bag is Made. Walk a little further and you will see a display case displaying the steps of

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a Hermes bag being made from start to finish (See Appendix C, Figure 14). Make your way into

the first room and you will hear the voice of Jane Birkin singing Serge Gainsborg’s Je T’aime as

well as a video of them singing it together and your eyes will be drawn to a bright Hermes

orange colored horse carriage (See Appendix C, Figure 15) displaying Birkins, the Kelly bag and

of course the Bolide, the first handbag made with zippers. Keep walking and you will find

yourself in a bright yellow room listening to the Sex and The City theme song with bright pink

mannequins (See Appendix C, Figure 16) displaying Fendi’s Baguette and Peekaboo handbags.

Why Sex and The City, you ask? The Baguette bag was made popular among American women

when the iconic bag was shown carried by the adventurous girl group (Gibson, 2011). You will

also be shown short clips from the episodes of the girls carrying their Fendi bags (See Appendix

C, Figure 17). Last but not least walk into a dark room with pouring down rain lit up by a neon

sign showing the famous quote by Miuccia Prada herself, “I want always to mix the industrial

way of doing things with the patrimonio of the past, with the artisanal tradition” (Borrelli-

persson, 2015). As you walk through the rain you will see naked trees (See Appendix C, Figure

18) with the iconic black nylon rucksack and Saffiano bags hanging from the branches. Don’t

worry about getting wet or needing an umbrella, this unique room stops raining wherever you

walk so you will stay completely dry (See Appendix C, Figure 19). The material Prada makes

their bags with is supposed to be waterproof, scratchproof and able to withstand the elements,

making this the perfect atmosphere to display these amazing bags.

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Appendix A

Figure 1. Hermes Bolide bag. Courtesy of Tassen Museum of Bags and Purses.

Figure 2.Hermes Kelly bag. Courtesy of Tassen Museum of Bags and Purses.

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Figure 3. Hermes Birkin bag. Courtesy of Simone Handbag Museum.

Figure 4. Fendi Baguette bag. Courtesy of Tassen Museum of Bags and Purses.

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Figure 5. Fendi Peekaboo bag. Courtesy of Tassen Museum of Bags and Purses.

Figure 6. Prada Rucksack. Courtesy of Simone Handbag Museum.

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Appendix B

Figure 7. Jane Birkin CD.

Figure 8. Jane Birkin Poster.

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Figure 9. Hermes Postcard.

Figure 10. Fendi Karl Lagerfeld postcard purse.

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Figure 11. Metropolitan Museum of Art postcard.

Figure 12. The Power of the Purse: Handbags book by Anna Johnson.

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Figure 13. Mini designer purse keychains.

Appendix C

Figure 14. How a Hermes bag is made. Courtesy of Hermes Leather Forever Exhibit.

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Figure 15. Orange carriage. Courtesy of DTS Exports.

Figure 16. Pink Mannequin.

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Figure 17. Sex and The City Clip.

Figure 18. Metal Trees.

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Figure 19. Rain Room.

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The Luxury of Leather

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