by kevin Campbell
There’s a new designer on the block and she’s taking the fashion world by storm! Gabriella Wimmer, one of the more recent talents to join the long list of notable designers, is no amateur when it comes to style, design, and the grandeur. Her top-of-the-line label offers a variety of timeless pieces including accessories and quality jewelry embellished handbags. Home to the Shooting Stars Duchess Clutch, a clutch purse wrapped in her signature Diamond Skin, Wimmer has transcended the precedent of other designers and has distinguished her brand as being in a league of its own. Both aesthetically pleasing to the eye and appealing to all senses, this designer powerhouse is sure to quench the insatiable thirst for finer goods. Each Gabriella Wimmer masterpiece is made-to-order and can be personalized in a variety of exotic skins, metal finishings, and precious gemstones, giving the customer “absolute –luxe”- a phrase coined by Wimmer meaning complete and total customization.
L’Etage: Why don’t you start by telling us how you became interested in fashion and how you established your own brand?
GW: I’ve always been interested in fashion from a young age. I remember making my own dolls and clothing for the dolls too. In a previous life, I was also a fashion model but that’s another story for another interview. It wasn’t until I graduated from college that I actually created my first collection in Italy. At the time, I wasn’t ready to fully embark on the journey in store for me so I kept my ideas in the back of my mind. And then, a few years ago while on vacation in the south of Spain, my desire to become a designer was rekindled by the smells of leather and watching the artisans work around me. From that point onwards, I worked towards bringing my dreams to fruition.
Diamond Skin Shooting Stars Duchess
L’Etage: Tell us about your designs and where you found your inspiration, specifically with the Imperial Garden bag, to create such beautiful and unique handbags.
GW: For the Imperial Garden Handbag, I drew inspiration from chatelaines carried by women. They were small enough to hold the essentials that a woman would need walking through her home. Personally when I have attended weddings and galas, I try to carry as little as possible so I can focus on and enjoy the evening at hand, so I thought about the absolute necessities a woman would need and considered she would have a companion to carry the rest. My other designs have just been inspired by an innate feeling that comes to me in my sleep, when I’m driving, when I’m traveling, wherever I am. The inspiration is the culmination of all my experiences since I was a child.
L’Etage: What really caught my attention is the elegance of the signature Diamond Skin. What processes go into making such a luxurious purse and how long does the process usually take (from the time an order is placed to the time of delivery)?
GW: There are a many parts that go into the making of Diamond Skin. Inspection in itself is a process. The setting is then created and in this step, each diamond is handset in place by the master leather artisan. Long story short it is a highly laborious process. For the Shooting Stars Duchess, it took over 100 hours just to prepare the diamonds and set them in the suede ostrich leather. This did not include the time for tanning the leather, cutting and stitching the Duchess.
The moment a client confirms her or his order, it takes a minimum of three to four months to receive the jewelry-handbag. Because each bag is handcrafted by artisans and made-to-order, the leather must be tanned and finished to the client’s specifications. The metalwork for the bags will begin; depending on the level of Diamond Skin and the type of bag, it can take more time to prepare. Once the leather is tanned, then the jewelry-handbag starts to take shape. Since I work with exotic leathers, there are the CITES permits that need to be updated with the appropriate ministry before the bags can be cleared for exporting and then importing.
Marquise Small Roccia Grey White Python Rose Gold
L’Etage: Another unique handbag that demanded my attention was the Contessa and a similar version of it, the Marquise. Does each bag undergo the same manufacturing process? Which bag takes the longest to make?
GW: The Contessa is the atypical rectangular handheld clutch. I like this one a lot because it fits so easily in the hand due to its angular features and it actually holds more than you think. Both the Marquises – the large and the small – and the Contessa require the refined and capable metal-turning skills of master jewelers to realize their forms; but there are major distinctions. Because the Contessa opens, there is a trickier element to ensure that the leather doesn’t “bubble” up on the flap. The dozens of jewelry welds affixed to the grid pattern and to the base plate makes this piece even more complex – if any weld goes awry, the piece is thrown away and the whole process is restarted. Since the metal for the Marquise is hand tuned, matching the two sides to each other takes time and a steady hand. In terms of length of time, both require a lot of patience, but my jewelers were more willing to work on the Marquise before they attempted to create the Contessa.
Contessa Clutch in Eggplant Alligator Leather and Yellow Gold
L’Etage: Where are your products manufactured and how do you ensure authenticity of exotic leathers and diamonds?
GW: I source all of my materials and my artisanal production from Italy to ensure that my jewelry-handbags and jewelry are handcrafted entirely manufactured there. The Italian leather industry is centuries old, so there is a sense of pride, refinement and appreciation that my masterpieces convey. I intentionally choose artisans that do not have production facilities outside of Italy to ensure that my jewelry-handbags and the materials they are composed of are in fact all from Italian sources only.
Obviously, then, authenticity is a very important determinant for me so I source from trusted and reputable companies. I have a trusted diamond cutter from whom I source my diamonds and these are then reviewed again by myself and my jewelers who help to create my magical Diamond Skin. For the exotic leathers, specifically, these are actually imported as raw inputs to Italy where they are transformed to some of the most luxurious leathers you can imagine. With exotic leathers, there are CITES permits associated with each leather so this ensures appropriate international trade in legal leathers. The Italian tanneries I source my leathers from are elite tanneries in Europe.
Duchess Slim Alligator purple white background
L’Etage: Besides the prized Shooting Stars Duchess Clutch, what other handbag would you personally purchase from your brand if you were a regular customer and why?
GW: I would own each bag because they serve a very different and distinct purpose.
L’Etage: How about if you only had to choose two?
GW: If you force me to choose two, based on what I am doing today, I would buy the Marquise in multiple colors because it is such a versatile bag for day and night, regardless of the season; it is such a statement piece. It also takes on a new life when you change the leather and the metalwork color. Whenever I do carry a Marquise, eyes and conversations quickly turn towards the bag – it is such a stunning piece, even more so for international travel. I would also buy the Duchess in several leathers and colors (my preference is alligator and crocodile because it is so sumptuous). It is so easy to throw under your arm and go and it is affordable in the python leather.
Large Marquise Red Alligator Rose Gold white background
L’Etage: Although you do design jewelry, there is none currently on the website. Will you be launching your jewelry collection soon? When will it be available for purchase?
GW: I usually make a little gift with the purchase of a jewelry-handbag. During my private events, the VIPs are aware that there is jewelry but I do not advertise – there are some items that go without explanation. In terms of launching the jewelry collection, I am considering it but my main focus is on the bags at the moment.
L’Etage: Will you eventually launch a men’s luxury facet to your brand or is this strictly a women’s brand?
GW: A men’s brand requires a different focus because the shapes (somewhat like men’s fashion) can be more restrained. I have worked on a few styles for men with interesting features for the man on the go since I have had several inquiries. I will continue to focus on women’s handbags unless I am asked for a men’s bag (such as a client ordering for herself and wanting a piece for her boyfriend/husband).
Large Marquise in Blue Grey Crocodile Leather Palladium Metal Diamonds
L’Etage: Describe the type of woman this brand embodies. Is she confident? Fearless? Wealthy?
GW: The woman I design for is seductive, feminine, and worldly. She embodies a graceful confidence and she maintains her impeccable lifestyle. She understands quality and accepts no compromise. Like myself, I am uncompromising in the leathers and diamonds I select as well as the level of craftsmanship and dedication I require from the artisans who craft each made-to-order piece. My clients expect this from a Gabriella | Wimmer creation.
Imperial Garden with Painted Enamel Leaves and Diamonds
L’Etage: Who would you say you look up to in terms of establishment in the fashion industry and innovation in handbag designs and why?
GW: For the fashion industry, I loved Christian Lacroix for his imaginative use of materials and textures and his discerning eye to craft beautiful pieces that are dramatic and functional. In terms of handbags though, I actually try not to look at the establishment because I like to think freely about the organic nature of my designs. When carving a new niche within the luxury sector, one has to remove one’s self from the usual to free associate about the possibilities and how those possibilities can become reality. When I do look, I compare my designs to ensure I am not making anything that others are creating. This way it ensures I preserve my brand’s identity of pushing the boundaries, which is what my clients appreciate.
Thank you for your time Gabriella, it was a pleasure to meet you and I wish you nothing but fortune and success in the future!
For more information or to place an order, please visit www.gabriellawimmer.com
PHOTO GALLERY
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