THE MAKING OF CARÔ BAG
Recently, woven leather bags are set to have a major moment, gracing every occasion from casual to elevated affairs. With this in mind, we created Carô bag, which features leather hand-woven details and practical functionality. Even with the shift towards ready-to-wear items, crafting these woven pattern on a bag takes both time and dedication. In this journal, join us for a glimpse into how these bags are made.
PREPARATION
After carefully selecting a suitable piece of leather, it is laid flat, measured precisely, and then prepared to ensure the smoothest hand-cut edges. With the light touch of a pencil, the idea is translated onto the leather sheet. These strokes are handled with care which later turns into long strips.
BEVELLING
The edges of these pieces are then beveled, preparing them to be folded and creating a sleek finish. Every detail is manually processed with fine attention.
WEAVING & SHAPING
Crafting a complete bag requires both a practiced hand, yet mindful of the delicate nature of craftsmanship. The two longest pieces of leather, once cut, are interwoven to form the base of the bag. Following this, other leather strips are carefully woven together to create the bag's frame.
Then, additional leather strands are carefully curved into a loop, which is then threaded through an outer strip to shape the bag's form. This is a thoughtful process, where time is invested in quality, demanding the maker to be extremely patient and highly focused.
TENSIONING
After weaving the strips through the loops, any excess leather is fully stretched out all done mannually. The ends of the strips are secured with clips carefully glued in place. This process demands precise tension and skillful gluing to prevent any bunching, and this stage alone can take up to half a day. It's a process of ensuring ideal tension, where even the smallest detail matters.
INTERIOR & LINING
Moving to the interior, a soft suede lining is sewn to prevent items from falling out. A small pocket with our subtle logo and metal snap hooks is attached for extra security.
FINISHING TOUCHES
Once the bag is nearly complete, the leather strap is sewn onto the body of the bag, nestled between the woven leather and the lining for a refined appearance. For a finishing touch, each bag is given a thin coat of mink oil for a polished sheen. There will be a final quality check before the bags are ready for sale.
ABOUT ITS NAME
This bag is name Carô - which is a little nod to how checkered pattern would sound in Vietnamese.
Naming bags is great until you don't know what to name them. However, a bag needs to be identified through a name - whether it's inspired by one of the key features or a person. "Carô", in this case, was came up after many attemps to find something that is both concise and reflective to its Vietnamese origins.
(Add video making process)
