Hidesign salutes Italian craftmanship in its latest collection

In an era when high-quality vegetable tanning is disappearing in Europe, with the exception of Italy, Pondi-cherry-based designer Dilip Kapur, founder of Hidesign, has come up with an exclusive Scandicci collection — designs that have their origins in the small Italian town of Tuscany. The brand, since 1978, has stood out for its collections made of Soho, the highest grade of Italian Cuoio leather, and Ranchero. “While Soho is naturally smooth and glossy, Ranchero is grainy with no artificial touch ups,” explains the designer. 

Italian renaissance
The techniques of this craft were learnt by Dilip from one of the few surviving master craftsmen of Tuscany in the 1980s. “They are some of the most skilled craftsmen in the world, known for their high quality leather and tanning, clean lines and simplicity of designs,” he says. The tannin used for the collection is extraced from Myrobalan seeds and the bark of the Wattle tree through an age-old eco-friendly technique. This is followed by long soaks in oils and waxes, done in-house at the Hidesign Atelier in Pondicherry, allowing the leather to absorb moisture and retain its original quality.

Design aesthetics
Expect classic designs like Epocca and Lucida in bags and Liscio and Cera in wallets.The colours in this collection vary from natural tones like tans, brown, to classic colours of black, marsala, emerald green and midnight blue. The collection also sports a selection of unlined bags under their Lucida range. “This allows us to showcase the quality of the leather used and the craftsmanship of the product,”he says, adding, “Isn’t it amazing when you can feel the leather both on the outside and inside?” Picking his favourites, the designer chooses a black coloured, casual and easy-to-carry Lucida 02 made of Soho and a bright coloured, cross-bodied bag, Martella 02. “I think they are chic and modish and are bound to  to catch your eye.”

Priced at `1,495 onwards. 
At Express Avenue. Details: 28464077