Matière Studio: modern, graphic bags
Matière Studio, a young brand launched a year ago by Mariana Uzcanga, made its debut at Premiere Classe.
Find out more about her interview at the latest edition of Premiere Classe.
How made you get into leather goods?
I'm based in Barcelona and I used to work in the fashion industry, more specifically in marketing, but the hectic pace in the sector wasn’t for me. I wanted to create but I didn't know what. I do modelling and that's where the name Matière Studio comes from. I love contemporary art and sculpture. I wanted to come up with a product that was sustainable in its design and locally produced, so I got interested in leather, even though I knew nothing about it. I worked with it following my inspiration to create simple, organic shapes.
Tell us about this first collection and its leather work.
I use Italian leather with the LWG (Leather Working Group) label, a certification standard for environmentally friendly and socially responsible leather production. As I'm not a designer, I explore all my desires. My first collection is made up of 5 models of bags in full-grain bovine leathers in bright colours (yellow, red, blue) and ultra supple, smooth, and soft earth tones.
Each model is named after a contemporary artist: there's the Louise bucket bag (after Louise Bourgeois), the Marcel tote bag (after Breuer), the Barbara small tote bag (after Hepworth, the British sculptor and painter), the Auguste flat bag (after Rodin) and the Francis shoulder bag (after Bacon). The entire collection is made in Ubrique, Spain, which is where all the bags for the major luxury brands are made. There's a great deal of know-how and a tradition of leatherwork on site.
What does Premiere Classe mean to you?
I must admit that this is my very first fair. I’m new to this world. Premiere Classe represents the start of my business, because until now I’ve only been selling online via my e-shop. The brand has attracted buyers from Asia (Japan, Korea) as well as Australia.
Finally, what inspires you on a daily basis?
Art in particular, including Barbara Hepworth and Alberto Giacometti. In terms of fashion, I'm more impressed by the way the shows are staged. I really like the silhouettes of Jil Sander and The Row, even though I find the concept of trends problematic. I like things to be made to last, to have a long life.
