Lena Erziak handbags: it’s love

Anyone who knows me knows that I’d rather die than be caught with an overly logo-d handbag, so it’s no surprise that I immediately took to the amazing Lena Erziak handbags. They’re all handmade in Florence, Italy and are decked out in the most luxe materials with adorable accents like their signature tassel. I had a chat with the fabulous designers behind the label:

Photo: Lenaerziak

Me: Did the fact that your parents were artists inspire you to go into a creative field like fashion?

Leona- Probably in some ways it did.

Hasna- Our parents had a a great influence on who we are today.

Me: Your names are Leona and Hasna, how did the name of the label come about?

Leona- We wanted to give a name of a woman, and Lena Erziak is just the first two letters of my name and the two last of Hasna name. Erziak is the name given to us by heritage.

Me: I hear that you’ve had some experience styling in France. Can you tell us more about that?

Leona- I simply was surounded by musicians and artists, and they kindly ask me to style them for Tv shows and photo shoots.

Hasna- Yes, We had the opportunity and we took it. It was really a great experience

Me: Do both of you have different and sometimes conflicting views on style and design?

Leona- Sometimes we have different interpretations, but never conflicting. In the end we are creating and fashion is fun. It’s not like we are changing the world.

Hasna- We are very close but still different people so we do have different interprations. But not to the point of hating each other. We have fun working together, and making a way to combine our styles.

Me: Your bags are timelessly elegant and very ladylike chic. Is your brand’s aesthetic more classy as opposed to the fads of the moment.

Leona- Oh, thank you, I take it as a compliment. We are just making bags that we want to carry without thinking about whether it is trendy or timeless.

Hasna- We really are creating them with our heart and soul, so we really hope they will be timeless.

Me: Your bags are made in Florence, Italy. Why so?

Leona- Florence is not only the capital of the Renaissance but also they have the best craftmen you can find in the world. Since all the leather we use comes from all over Italy, having a design studio in Florence is the most convenient.

Hasna- And we love the quality of life there. The food, the streets the architecture, the weather. There are so many great aspects of Florence. Why would we want to go to anywhere else?

Me: You’re both Belgian-Moroccan. How did you land up in NYC?

Leona- We were born in  Brussels, and we wanted to travel the world. We did some buisiness in Marrakech and  NYC. But we feel a connection with NYC. NYC is so cosmopolitan; we  also love the energy here so we just feel like we are New Yorkers at heart! Our parents were immigrants, and now, in NYC, we are too!

Hasna- NYC is the city where anything is possible from the worst to the best. I have a place for NYC in my heart. I love being a New Yorker.

Me: Did any of you go to fashion school? Do you feel that it’s imperative to do so to succeed in the fast paced industry that is fashion?

Leona- I did not but Hasna did the Arsapel school. I do not think it’s imperative to success, but I guess we will see what the future tells us!

Hasna- I went to Arsapel and I loved it. Some people go to fashion school and it does or does not help them. Some succeeded and some did not. So I think there are no rules. But I do think it is important to go to school and learn the techniques.

Me: Your signature accessory would probably be the tassel. What does it mean to you?

Leona- The tassel is something you could find from the Ottoman costumes to the ” anciens salons baroque de Paris”. We find the tassel to be elegant, rich and nice.

Hasna- The tassel is also a memory of our wonderful childhood. It is on the elegant hats of men in Fez (Morroco).

Me: Where can people find your decadent pieces?

Leona- At Fred Segal in Santa Monica, Stella-filante in New York and many others, Please check out Lenaerziak.com to have a complete list.

Me: Who are YOUR personal favorite designers and why?

Leona- There are quite a few I admire. Madeleine Vionnet is a designer who has simple pieces with great cuts. Her spirit is non-conformist. Also, I  admire Azzedine Alaia for his creation “second skin”.

Hasna- Coco Chanel for the masculine style and anti-conformist approach.

Me: When did you realize that you were fashion people?

Leona- From our childwood we loved playing with fabrics and colours. Then when we grew up our desire for fashion grew as well. So we decided to do something that reflected our deep love for shoes, bags, and clothes.

Hasna- From the very beginning our mother was a great source of inspiration. She was was elegant and the most beautifull woman on earth. So she inspired me to be fashionable as well.

Hasna-  I think both the boutique Stella Filante and the Lena Erziak brand have in common, that they are both for women who want to stand out in a crowd, not shy away and self confident on what they are.

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Submitted on December 16, 2009 in Who's Who.

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