Last year, English designer Paul Andrew was named women's creative director at Salvatore Ferragamo.
Another British talent, Daniel Lee, has followed in his footsteps with another Italian leather house, Bottega Veneta. In June, Lee was appointed creative director after the exit of Tomas Maier, who had been with the company for 17 years.
The new era starts off with Maxi Cabat and The Pouch that Lee designed for the spring 2019 collection.
Introduced in 2001, the Cabat is a no-frill unisex tote featuring meticulous Intrecciato technique that can only be performed while standing up as it requires a significant amount of physical strength, especially on the artisan's arms, to weave strips of double-faced leather in place following a diagonal pattern.
The hand-woven bag has been reinvented with 4cm-wide strips for the Maxi Cabat.
Available in contrasting colours and solid shades, variations include a large fully woven tote, a large woven tote finished with a band of smooth leather at the top, and a smaller woven version with a removable shoulder strap named Maxi Cabat 30 after the measurement of its length.
Likewise, The Pouch 20 is a smaller version of Lee's oversized clutch, whose soft folds of leather completely envelop the rigid frame to create a voluminous, rounded form.
Presented in various leathers and in neutral and pop shades, The Pouch also showcases Italian craftsmanship that calls for the bag's high price tag.
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