Great summer in Vancouver, partaking in a few events, shows,
and even organizing a few in the Spring and Summer, slowed down the process of
building an upcoming new Collection.
Even today, although, the blueprints and sketches are laid
out in front of me at my desk, the Collection is very much a work in progress,
balancing a few different directions of inspiration, different materials I am
currently coveting, and trying to edit and boil all those ideas down to the
most necessary.
I do not believe a collection of accessories needs to be
generated every season, especially, if we’re talking handbags. It should rather
reflect a flow of inspiration, a result of trials and research, whether it is
searching the outside world, or within.
I so far have eight close to the heart designs (in
progress), that may land a spot in the upcoming Collection. I will do some
crude edits and re-draws to tie them into a cohesive mix. Then there is a whole
other pack of ideas for small accessories we always carried alongside the
handbags. There were very different factors at work shaping this bunch of
designs, and for that reason alone, streamlining will be crucial.
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| Strap |
One strong force was me trying to create pathways to bring more
mixed reclaimed materials to our handbags, as well as new custom shapes and
prints. I was sketching for both – leather and other raw-materials, from canvas
to recycled fur. Then, there was a drive to simplify the existing shapes, remove
the complications and grey areas from all new patterns. In addition, I realized
I had expectations set by my customers and retailers, to maintain a recognizable
look, with key features, they came to appreciate over the first few years; features,
that would immediately say, JVD. And, then, there was my own, pure, inspiration
behind some of the new bags-to- be: the country looks, the unique reclaimed
materials, some lifestyle elements (we do want to hit the outdoor show and festival
scene next year), the intimacy of our detail work.
All that is hard to boil down, as these features are not
only different; they are very valuable for any Collection. Maybe, I even have
more than one “collection” sketched up on this desk, waiting for the right time
to take shape. We are not sure at this time, when the full new range will be released
– while the early prototypes will begin surfacing during the Holiday season
this year, a good estimate for the new
release may be Pre-Fall 2014.
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| Shell in construction |
Posted by Jolanta
http://jolavdesigns.com
