Luxe Must: the Venus Handbag from Ayélé Designs
My dream bag:
- multitasks as a fabulous shoulder bag
- functions as a glam makeup bag
- is not carried by every woman on the street
Dreams apparently come true as evidenced by the Venus Bronze bag, designed by Ayélé Locoh-Donou, the founder of Ayélé Designs. Made from bronze colored Italian calf skin and lined in satin, it has a magnetic closure & optional shoulder strap, and is further adorned with a metal accessory inspired by the jewelry of the Touareg people, a nomadic group originally from North Africa. Evoking the sizzle and glamour of the Jazz Age in Paris during the ‘20s and ’30s, the inspiration and muse for both the bag and the new collection is Josephine Baker.
Known as a free-spirited, exuberant, boundary-breaking artist, Baker was also a great humanitarian who worked to combat racial and social discrimination, which is why Ayélé picked her to personify the soul of her new collection. Like all her limited series bags and leather accessories, it reflects her belief that that we all share a common humanity, and that beauty and elegance can be created out of diverse cultural aesthetics.
"Our goal is to open styles and identities to the richness of multiculturalism by creating elegant and classic pieces that are inspired by different cultures", explains Ayélé, who grew up between Africa and Europe as the daughter of a West African father and a French mother.
A former corporate lawyer and the mother of young children, her goal is to nurture a family while developing a successful enterprise that combines financial profitability with social responsibility. The company donates 15% of the revenue from their sales events (if you live in NYC there's one December 10) to international youth and leadership programs, and the company is creating a foundation to formalize their commitment to philanthropy.
Quality and generosity? They are in the bag at AyeleDesigns.com.
- Michelyn Camen, Editor at Large
|
|
...& don't miss: |
Comments