Latest news with #luxurybag
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Katy Perry dons £24,000 orange Hermes Kelly bag barely large enough to hold her mobile phone
It's the ultimate small bag with a very big price tag. In fact, Katy Perry 's orange £24,000 Hermes Kelly is barely large enough to hold her mobile phone let alone any other necessities. However, that did not stop the Firework singer posing with the item following a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York on Monday. Ms Perry, 40, appeared to have only her iPhone inside yet experts claim that, even with a size of just 7.8in by 5.5in, it can also fit a cardholder, keys, AirPods, lipstick plus a phone – but without its case. Dressed in a black and white figure-hugging Yael bustier maxi dress, Ms Perry, whose split from actor Orlando Bloom, 48, was confirmed in June after nine years together, accessorised with small heels and sparkling jewellery. In April, she was one of the celebrities who took part in an 11-minute space mission on Jeff Bezos ' Blue Origin rocket. But she was brutally mocked in the media and online after she promoted her tour dates while in space and then kissed the ground after she landed back on Earth.
Forbes
10-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Eittem Crafts Luxury Handbags From Salvaged Wood In Their Manhattan Atelier
A model carrying the Eittem Owl bag Meghan Marin When you purchase a luxury bag, you'll typically never know exactly who made it or where every single little detail came together. But Eittem offers the utmost transparency, a rarity in a world where luxury goods often come in bits and pieces from all over the globe and then are assembled in a shroud of mystery. If one desired, a client could come to Eittem's New York City showroom and see their bag being made every step of the way, and even chat with each artisan involved. The name is a play on 'item.' 'Eittem comes from the idea of singularity that they're very hard to define—it's a sculpture and a fashion accessory,' says Eittem co-founder Erin Saluti. 'It was the idea of they're hard to classify, because when you say 'bag' you think of a leather satchel. Also, they each take two weeks to make, and the devotion, dedication and patience of our craftspeople means they're so focused on this one item at a time.' Eittem launched last fall by husband-and-wife team Erin and Joe Saluti, who serve as the Creative Director and Head of Manufacturing and Finance, respectively. Joe's hobby in woodwork is what sparked the brand, when he wanted to make Erin a birthday gift. 'He told me he had this new machine that can carve on a curve,' Erin says. 'I love walnut; that's always been my favorite wood. I sketched a bag which we will release, the Butterfly, and asked if he could make it. We sat down together in the kitchen, and we transferred my idea to a three-dimensional object, and he made it and I started carrying it. Everywhere I went, people would comment because it's so different and it stands up on a table. I still love that bag. Then one Saturday morning I sketched the Owl, and I just kept going. Once I started to see the shapes together, I could see that they were like a family. They were speaking to each other, and they're all archetypes from nature and things that are personally symbolic to me in some way.' The Eittem Woodgrain Collection Eittem Friends started asking about the bags and they realized it could be a business. 'Joe was in finance his entire career,' Erin says. 'My background is art and design. I have no fashion or accessories background other than being a consumer and a fan. I love fashion. I've always considered it an art form. What is appealing to me is considering these as an object or a sculpture, and that we have the challenge of making them function and the interplay between each of these unique materials.' All Eittem bags are made from urban salvaged walnut wood and come in three shapes: Owl, Moon and Bird. 'It's fun to see how everyone gravitates towards a particular shape because they all have some symbolism or meaning behind them, but it means something different for everyone,' Erin says. 'In addition to these three shapes, we have three others prototyped. All relate to each other. Our plan is to release one new shape per year.' Eventually they will offer them in more colors, though they may retire some colors as well. Each style is gorgeously displayed in their Chelsea showroom and look like works of art on the shelves, illustrating how they can easily double as an objet for the home when not in use, making them truly wearable art, which is why the bags aren't arranged in a typical retail structure. 'We wanted people to see them displayed,' Erin says. 'We hope people won't just put it in the back of their closet, that you might have it out on a table. We're excited that we have this very novel and innovative product in terms of materials, shape and design.' The interior of the Eittem Bird Eittem Eittem initially launched with their signature walnut wood grain. 'But then we did each in two glossy colors so there's no crossover between the shapes,' Erin says. 'I chose the color that I thought would work best with each of the shapes.' When holding the bags in your hand, it's not what most people would expect—despite being made from wood, they're light and smooth, plus easy to grip and natural to hold. 'One of the things in designing these, which was really important to me, was how they feel against your body, that there's an ergonomic factor,' Erin says. 'They just tuck so nicely and feel good.' The inside of each bag is lined with leather. Take a closer look and you'll see a small 'e' for 'Eittem.' They intentionally put the subtle branding on the inside because they're very anti-logo, and that's the only place you'll find it. 'We're hoping that the shapes themselves become the identifier of the brand,' Erin says. Eittem Bird Meghan Marin Joe designed the entire bag making process from scratch. Each shape starts with a hand-drawn sketch by Erin, then she and Joe use computer aided design to turn it into something similar to a CAD model. 'It's hours and hours of work, because you're taking such a two-dimensional object and having to consider it from every side—it's quite a lot, and it takes several iterations,' Erin says. They worked on each model until it was perfected because they didn't want to waste the precious wood and materials. Bird took 19 tries. 'We have a graveyard of Birds that have been 3D printed,' Erin says. 'But it has to be just right; it has to feel exactly right in your hand and against your body. And then, of course, it has to look right, it has to be perfectly balanced.' Eittem developed a way to convert each of the bags using the same chain, which comes with the bag. 'The chain is sterling silver, coated in rhodium, because just like silverware does, sterling will start to develop a patina,' Erin says. 'The rhodium actually protects the color.' The chains can be customized to different lengths, depending on where you want the bag to fall and if you prefer to carry it as a crossbody or under the shoulder. Eittem Moon Eittem 'All of the hardware is designed by us,' Erin says. 'It's stainless steel, which is very unusual and very expensive, but it will last forever; it will never corrode. It's all inlaid; it's not glued onto the surface. One of our quality tests is the grip and give when you are moving the hinges back and forth; it has to feel just right. It has to be very satisfying.' Each purse has 17 pieces of metal in it. Every single one of those is also a CAD model that they designed themselves. 'Our hardware is specific to each shape, so there's one set of hardware that goes into every bag,' Joe says. 'The hardware is small and has to go into a very specific size opening. It has to be within a couple of thousandths of an inch, so there is very little margin.' A computer measures the dimensions that are too small for a ruler at high accuracy. Located among the Chelsea art galleries, the Manhattan production space is petite, with every inch maximalized. They also do inspection and quality control on site. The urban salvage wood is sourced from two different places. 'Rather than a lumberyard, this could be from a park,' Joe says. 'One does Central Park and botanical gardens; if trees are down, they come and get them. So, we buy a slab, and then we have that cut it up to our size, and they can ship it to us.' Only the best wood is used for the exposed wood grain bags; others are painted. 'To make one purse, there's 12 different tools that the machine will use,' Joe says. Eittem Owl Meghan Marin Everything is sourced from the United States, except for the leather, which comes from Germany, because they wanted to use the highest quality available. 'It's the same leather that Hermes uses, so it is the tippity tippity top,' Erin says. 'The texture of the leather is just so beautiful.' The leather is wet molded, which is a process that they developed themselves. The bags are all hand-painted in a process that requires over 20 steps, ensuring the paint will last. 'It is an unbelievably difficult process, but we're very proud of the product,' Joe says. 'We're in Manhattan, making things ourselves. Our advantage, our uniqueness, is that this is a studio production atelier where we're going to do new, different things with unusual materials. You can't do that relying on other people.' Eittem's employees span art school grads, industrial designers and people who previously worked for major jewelry brands. 'It matters for them that they all don't just do one thing,' Joe says. 'They're all cross-trained in two or three other areas, so they can break up their week. That variety of the job allows us to get smart people. What's cool is they all have an outside art or design practice themselves, and they bring their discipline to problem solving here.' Eittem Owl and Bird Eittem As a result of the painstaking process, Eittem is super low volume and will only sell about 200 bags this year. 'That's all we can make at this point,' Erin says. 'It's not a fake scarcity model. They're all numbered and accompanied by a card of authenticity that's signed by the makers. We follow more of an art world model, not necessarily a fashion model. We're excited to bring something innovative and new to a very saturated landscape.' Currently, Eittem is exclusively direct to consumer, though they may consider retail partners in the future. Clients are invited to their atelier to see the bags and process in person before placing an order. 'We allow people to handle the bags because they look beautiful online, but everyone has a visceral reaction when they actually touch them,' Erin says. 'The wood is soft and silky, and it's not what you expect. You hear 'wood bag' so you think something heavy and clunky, and it's quite the opposite.' The Salutis hope that Eittem might encourage other companies to start their own businesses in New York or in the US and do the manufacturing locally. 'It can be done—it's hard work—but it's possible,' Erin says. 'Coming at it from a very different place, it is kind of crazy that both of our skill sets somehow came together to create Eittem. I never would have guessed that we would be doing this, but it's been a journey for sure.'
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Aspinal of London just launched a MASSIVE up to 60% off sale - and the celeb-loved Midi Mayfair bag is included
Your wardrobe is calling, and it says you need this viral Aspinal of London bag. That's right, fashion gurus - the iconic Green Croc Midi Mayfair 2 is officially on sale for 40 percent off right now. The luxury bag brand has been serving looks for decades now, with royal and celebrity fans stacking up. Midi Mayfair® 2 | Deep Shine Black & Green Ombre Croc Celebrity approved! From royals to Hollywood actors, this bag has a notable fanbase. The croc versions of this purse are particularly popular, with Gigi Hadid being seen with Black Croc version out recently! And Kate Middleton (The Princess of Wales) has been spotted carrying this style, too. When it comes to Aspinal of London this back is a must-have (especially while is a whopping 40 percent off!) $895 (was $1,280) Shop The Green Croc Midi Mayfair 2 is a notable selection, with Emily Ratajkowski being a fan and her friend Gigi Hadid having been seen rocking the black version not too long ago. Typically, the luxury handbag goes for $1,280, but during the brand's massive sale, offering up to 60 percent off sitewide, it is now just $895. What makes the Green Croc Midi Mayfair 2 so sought after? Easy. It's undeniable chicness. For over a decade, now the classic Mayfair bag has been one of the brand's bestsellers, being seen on the arms of society's biggest names across the world. Now, the Mayfair has several iterations with new colors, prints, and sizes. The Green Croc version of the coveted bag is made with Aspinal of London's finest leather and features the same gold fastenings as the other versions. The textured and detailed finish makes the bag sleek to wear, and it looks like a million bucks. What we love about the Mayfair bags is their versatility! The Green Croc Midi Mayfair 2 can be worn in two ways: crossbody or handheld. Unlike many structured bags, the Mayfair goes beyond the top handle to include a chunky, stylish chain attachment for both comfort and aesthetics. But Aspinal of London has way more to love than just their viral Mayfair bags! The brand has everything from totes to lipstick holders, all made from some of the finest leather in the market. Right now, they are spoiling their fans with a wild up to 60 percent off sitewide — so make sure you get to shopping while you can still save money and look good doing it! Hobo Bag | Black Pebble The perfect everyday bag doesn't exist ... psych! This trendy hobo bag gives you ample space for on-the-go carrying with the sophistication of luxury fashion but a trendy twist. The soft moveable leather makes this bag versatile with shoulder and crossbody capability. Enjoy various colors including this black pebble textured one that will match nearly every outfit while it is majorly on sale. $405 (was $675) Shop Camera Crossbody | Powder Lilac Pebble Grab those credit cards because you won't want to miss this deal! The Camera Crossbody is a fan favorite, especially in the color lilac for spring. This chic classic is a leather luxury and it's customizable too making the perfect gift for every and any woman. You can shop it in over seven colors and prints to find one that fits your vibe! Right now shoppers can not get enough of this cute lilac shade. $255 (was $505) Shop Ella Crossbody | Pistachio Raffia & Smooth Pistachio Keep it classic with this staple crossbody that comes in over five colors and prints, including this textured Raffia version. Whether you are out running errands or headed to a girl's night out, this simple crossbody suits every occasion and outfit seamlessly (plus, it has ample storage!) $490 (was $810) Shop
