The Journey Of Craftsmanship
Discover Valextra’s long-term programme of artisanal dialogue and cultural exchange
Celebrating Valextra’s commitment to preserving and innovating time-honed artisanal skills, The Journey of Craftsmanship is an extremely special long-term project celebrating the artistic dialogue Valextra has with global collaborators and artisans.
Valextra’s enduring commitment to excellence in craftsmanship is spotlighted in The Journey of Craftsmanship by inviting leading artists, artisans, and design studios to interpret Valextra’s luxury leather icons through their unique artisanal practice and vision. This creates an exchange of knowledge and culminates in a capsule collection that exalts the intersection of juxtaposing materials and their makers.
Fusing Valextra’s distinctive Milanese design codes with the cultural aesthetic signatures of our collaborators, the project comprises a growing collection of highly collectible handbags prized for their unique identity and exceptional savoir faire.
The Sportami Via
The SportamiVia spotlights the ancient art of Pizzo di Cantù through a collaboration with the design studio and textile handcrafts laboratory Un Pizzo. Founders Agnese Selva and Bettina Colombo work with the Tombolo technique popular in Cantù tradition that sees a cylindrical tool use three black threads to create a tubular-knit rope which was then applied to Valextra’s multidimensional Millepunte leather.
The Iside Indigo
The Iside Indigo has been crafted in collaboration with Japanese artist Riku Matsuzaki who specialises in the indigo dyeing technique typical of the Taishō period. Its repetitive polka-dot pattern is formed by repeated dyeing while using beeswax to create a cloud-like design symbolising the harmony of nature and the infinite possibilities of Japanese craft and design.
The Iside Bamboo
The Iside Bamboo has been crafted in collaboration with Chinese artist Qian Lihuai and sees the creative heritage of bamboo weaving realised in a uniquely Valextra way. Employing the highly skilful technique of bamboo marquetry, the dynamic patterns were inspired by the windows of the Duomo in Valextra’s hometown of Milan and the architecture of Lihuai’s birthplace, Wuzhen, and its historic waterways.
The Milano Pibiones
The Milano Pibiones is the result of a collaboration with Sardinia-based Mariantonia Urru, a family business specialising in Sardinian traditional handmade textiles and carpets from local wool yarns. The traditional local pattern Pibiones is executed using handlooms with exclusive designs made for Valextra for this special edition.