The Brussels-based maison that filed the first patent for what is now considered the modern leather handbag in 1908 (All photos: Delvaux)
It may not be a household name in Malaysia yet, but Delvaux needs no introduction to those who know luxury. Founded in 1829, even before the kingdom of Belgium was officially established, the brand’s position in the world of fine leather goods is unassailable. As the history books go, it was the Brussels-based maison that filed the first patent for what is now considered the modern leather handbag in 1908.
With an unwavering dedication to creating the finest handbags that transcend fad and fashion, what Delvaux does — and so very beautifully at that — is to always keep its offerings au courant by conveying a fresh design message seasonally. It was in this spirit that the maison recently held a special presentation of its fall/winter 2023 collection at the Sir Stamford Raffles suite of the grand dame, Raffles Hotel in Singapore, where it maintains two points of sale. The island’s most elegant and historic property proved to be the perfect venue to showcase the collection, aptly called The Constant Flaneur.
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The name stems from the French word flâneur, which speaks of a man (for women, it would be flâneuse) who wanders without the restriction of time, often sauntering about observing society. Delvaux dedicated the collection to the idea of a journey while being driven by the codes of architecture and design — perfectly in keeping with the house’s tenet of the handbag being a tool for modern travel.
The presentation was thus perfectly premised, set within surroundings that could be likened to a 19th-century Parisian hôtel particulier. Upon entering, the first things you see are the emblematic silhouettes of the Brillant and Pin handbags. For autumn, fresh context was given by way of the use of robust grey felt with contrast leather trim in colours that spanned tan (Brandy), orange-yellow (Honey) and lime green (Aloe).
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For those who place importance on size, the Brillant L’XXL by Jean Colonna — a distinct talent who emerged around the same time as the hugely influential avant-garde group collectively known as the Antwerp Six (these include legendary names like Ann Demeulemeester, Dries van Noten and Dirk Bikkembergs) — is another carry-all to dream about, crafted from the most supple, cloud-like leather imaginable in an unstructured, unlined satchel design that could be insouciantly carried by either gender.
The journey concluded with the Tempête XL Fly, a supple oversized version of the statement-making icon whose design was originally inspired by a sailboat’s trapeze, a nod to the 1960s when sailing was very much en vogue in the Belgian North Sea.
This article first appeared on June 5, 2023 in The Edge Malaysia.
