Ever wonder exactly what kind of labor goes into making that four-figure Gucci bag you own or dream of owning one day? For the month of April, an elite team of Gucci’s most skilled leather artisans will be in the U.S. as part of the brand’s four-city Artisan Corner program. The objective: to show what goes into creating the New Bamboo and the New Pelham, Gucci’s bags du jour for Spring 2010. (Jump for details!)
The artisan tour kicked off earlier this week at the Gucci boutique in San Francisco and moved its way down the Pacific Coast to Beverly Hills on April 22. The remaining dates include April 26 in Chicago and April 29 in New York City. The special in-store events for VIP clients will showcase craftsman as they hand-stitch handles, assemble bamboo tassels, prepare leather strips for woven stitching and hand emboss customer’s initials. In short, it’s the ultimate insider’s look into some of Gucci’s most time honored–not to mention, rarely seen–traditions. And should you fancy yourself picking up one of these handcrafted bags, know that yours still feature a special inside plaque embossed with the location and date of each event.
Not sure which one to get? I recommend the New Bamboo–it’s utterly gorgeous. Frida Giannini reinterpreted the one of Gucci’s most iconic handbag designs (first introduced in 1947), ushering it into the 21st century with a sporty new attitude and sleek style that is thoroughly modern. The Gucci New Bamboo is comprised of 140 separate pieces which are hand-assembled by an expert artisan in Gucci’s Florentine workshops. It is crafted in the same manner as the original and requires 13 hours of work to ensure its perfect details. To adapt to today’s modern woman, the bag is available in a new, larger style. Top-stitching, meanwhile, has been replaced by raised leather borders. My favorite part? The introduction of sexy nickel hardware for an oh-so-cool touch along with bamboo fringe tassels. And for the on-the-go woman? The bamboo handle is still there–but has now been augmented with a long leather strap and a second strap of draped metal chain with a braided base.
Prices for the New Pelham & New Bamboo collection range from $465 to $18,000 for an exotic skin piece.