Over to the Oeuvre

From Paris to the Ardennes,Lyonnais and Lorraine,the two filmmakers travel to and catalogue the works of the master saddlers,the leather craftsmen,crystal and glassmakers,jewellers and others artists. There will also be a craftsman at the store demonstrating how they make their small leather goods.

Italian giant Gucci celebrates its 90th anniversary with what promises to be a charming idea: the Artisan Corner brings the Florentine label’s leather goods industry directly to its customers in India. On December 3 in Mumbai and December 10 in Delhi,Gucci’s prized craftsmen will be posted at a custom-built workshop in its stores and allow customers to watch how they put together some of their most iconic handbags.

That’s not all,customers who wish to make a purchase will be enabled to personalise their monograms on the handbags,with a special plaque inside recording the date and location. Even if one isn’t interested in making a purchase,just watching the skilled men at their work tables,sewing machines,leather stands and viewing their sketches and mood boards is such a high.

The springing up of luxury labels,especially in the East,has invited harsh criticism from both the insiders and consumers. Industry opinions bemoan the lack of exclusivity,inherent passion and an accepted pace of growth. Consumers call big designer labels money-making monsters that care less for craft and more for China.

At the same time,there is a quickly growing trend of preferring clothes with a story and history (and are ecologically sound) to disposable fast fashion. The ‘heritage’ trend — new clothes that look old-fashioned — suddenly encompasses high-end and high street labels. There’s even a name for this new market — ‘archivisti’ — young people who value meaning and history in their fashion choices.

Politically,Europe is trying to save its glory by hoping to introduce a common heritage label from 2013. This is a trademark that guarantees the quality and history of monuments,landscapes,places of remembrance and cultural goods of EU nations. What’s the wager Hermès is gunning for its own sticker? After all,if Italy can boast of ‘heirloom tomatoes’,why not a few decades-old French couture labels?

In these circumstances,fashion labels are only being wise showing off their quaint roots and old-fashioned artisanal techniques (albeit hand-making now often means ‘assembling’).

Nonetheless,if this makes us more aware as consumers,so be it. It’s only through a deeper knowledge of the goings-on can we demand a label that’s greener,promises better quality,a personal connection,and hopefully slows down the fashion cycle. namratanow@gmail.com