Sep 21, 20222 min
(Image courtesy of Déhanche)
(Image courtesy of Déhanche)
Déhanche is designed for people with a sensibility to modernist design and luxury craftsmanship without all the big logos. For someone who wants to make a statement but who searches for an “object” that imparts character. I found it impossible to find beautiful belts that didn't look like everything else on the market. Déhanche takes an accessory that is so often forgotten and puts it at the center of a woman’s wardrobe.
(Image courtesy of Déhanche)
I don’t consider myself a trendy person – I instinctively gravitate toward certain looks and silhouettes that become trendy a year or so after. In fact, when I’m designing, I ask myself if the belt is something I could see in somebody else’s collection. If it is, I will stop the production.
(Image courtesy of Déhanche)
Art is so important to my designs and my brand. Constantin Brancusi and Jean Arp are very big references throughout my designs – they both created these reductive gold sculptures – and I had this desire to turn that concept into one you could carry with you to wear. I wanted to create accents that were less of a buckle but more of a sculpture.
(Image courtesy of Déhanche)
Fashion is an irresistible source of pleasure and an expression of identity, but it remains the second largest pollutant in the world. Each belt in the collection is handcrafted in Italy, and due to the rarity of specialty leather used in the designs, pieces are available only in limited quantities. The leathers are up-cycled or vegetable dyed. I have partnered with the Swedish company Doconomy and the 2030 Calculator to calculate the carbon footprint of our belts based on the emissions created from manufacturing and transport up until the point of sale. The Calculator uses unique emissions factors for each belt part, material, packaging, and transport and includes the lifetime methane emissions of the animal to determine the carbon footprint.
(Image courtesy of Déhanche)
I am laser focused solely on making a beautiful mono-product label. Because many celebrities and influencers become fans of the brand early on, I have partnered with some exciting stockists who will take Déhanche internationally.
In terms of product and design, it’s important to me to give belts the importance they deserve and not to dilute that with other product categories. It’s like jewelry. There is so much ornamentation that can be explored in this one way.
(Image courtesy of Déhanche)