Maria Grazia Chiuri inspired by the Argentine gauchos. The calfskin inlays of Dior’s Book Tote Bag come from their tradition. Launched on the occasion of the Cruise Collection 2021 presented in Puglia, this bag’s model was born, as an idea, from a trip made to Argentina by the designer, and the way in which she was struck by the leather saddles of herders. The bag is the result of meticulous leather’s craftsmanship that takes about 12-16 hours to make. We tell you how this marvel of leather goods is made.
How is it made?
As pursebop.com tells, natural leather is first of all laser cut to provide guidance in the use of tools. Then, they proceed with so-called “leather tooling”. In other words, the leather is sculpted by hand to obtain the three-dimensional impression of the original design, inspired by the characteristic patterns of Argentine gauchos. Finally, comes the wax phase. To give the bag the desired final colour, the first coat of wax is removed and a new layer added. This process is repeated 5 to 6 times. Finally, small leather strips are rolled to create knots that represent the pistils of the flowers. Knots which are then inserted into the perforations made during the cutting phase.
Dior savoir faire
This variant of the Tote Bag in sculpted leather reaffirms the maison’s savoir faire. The bag is “created by sculpting the calf leather through perforated overlays and a patina treatment, further enhanced by the rosette application. This style attests to leather’s artisanal soul”, says Dior. The accessory is available in both black and brown, and is priced at 6,700 dollars (in the smaller version) or 7,000 dollars (the larger one). The same process has also been used by Dior on other handbag models. For example: Lady Dior, Dior Saddle and Bobby Bag.
Images from pursebop.com
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