When London-based Fabian Lintott, Hidesign’s lead menswear designer was conceptualising their new collection Homme, he had a few things in mind — what would the requirements be for people returning to offices under the shadow of the pandemic, how to make the bags unisex and what design elements would be required for them to be timeless and stylish yet functional. The result is a line of backpacks, crossbody bags, messenger bags and briefcases with a distinct international appeal, all created from their signature vegetable-tanned leather.
“We wanted to create a collec-tion of work bags that were ‘international looking’ yet functional and timeless, considering we’re soon going to be heading back to our offices. Today more than ever, people get judged by the bag they carry and with Homme, we want young, successful working professionals to look the part, be conscious of their buys and invest in pieces that will last them for years to come. We have put a lot of focus into our backpacks this season as they will continue to be an important style going into 2021,” says Fabian.
The buzz around gender neutral clothing and bags has been around for years, but with this new drop Fabian has given it some serious attention and thought. However, he shares that it wasn’t that much of a change. “I think work bags, more than other styles, lend themselves to be quite gender neutral. They become more about function than anything else,” he explains.
Some of the most interesting pieces from the collection include the Carnaby, which Fabian says ‘satisfies the simple clear-cut form-follows-function demands of a post pandemic landscape’ as every pocket is easy to access and super practical. The Regent crossbody is textural thanks to the use of contrasting full grain leather and soft snuffed leather, while the Porto-bello briefcase is inspired by Aztec patterns. The Wyoming messenger, Fabian’s favourite, is made from leather with natural markings on the surface. “I love the concept of imperfections becoming beautiful. Each piece under the Wyoming name will be truly unique, which is a result of the natural marks in the leather,” reveals Fabian.
Homme is Hidesign’s first collection since the pandemic broke out, and Fabian is glad that things are beginning to return to normal, even if it’s at a slow pace. “This collection was planned for a May launch and got deferred with the lockdown. When the stores reopened, inviting customers back and managing existing stock became the priorities. Now, as markets slowly open up and we’re gradually getting back into our offices, there couldn’t be a better time to launch Homme and equip working professionals with a relaxed collection of all-day bags that take you from home to office to work trip to a café,” he says, signing off.
Rs.3,895 upwards. Available online and in stores.