We started story boarding today's original Coutorture editorial with two things in mind. Namely, the location; an abandoned airport near Gerritson Beach in New York, and the utilitarian handbags by designer Shiho Nagshima and Ramana Goldstein for their brand, Dunlin. Later that week we popped over to OAK to pick up some clean, white and grey cotton clothing with interesting detail, started talking to Nagshima about an interview, and finally walked one empty suitcase over to Greenpoint to pick up some bags. On the way back, when it was stuffed with expensive leather goods, we felt like a thief in a bad neighborhood until we realized we were fashion editors in a quickly gentrifying bourgeois one--such a fine line and such an appropriate dichotomy to start off this shoot.
Although the clothing captured in today's editorial, by Complex Geometries, OAK, and Form, should be recognized for it's cleanliness and structure, for today, we'd like to give recognition to the handbags. We first met Shiho Nagshima at a party in the Spring but knew her bags previous to that from shopping at OAK. We knew we liked them because they were very urban and kind of anti-"it"-bags and between debates on eco-friendly versus [long-lasting] leather, and on it-bags versus contemporary bags, we thought it was the perfect moment for a shoot.
Photographer Wayne Liu went about capturing the raw urban quality of these bags, interspersing that with a feeling of loss, of irrelevance, of innocence as decided antonyms to the fashion industry. More than anything, we thought he understood the other side of the handbag debate quite well and so another editorial was borne.
For more, check out our interview with designer Shiho Nagshima of Dunlin and, of course, our Lost Bag photo shoot below.
Can you tell us a little bit about how you began designing handbags?
We were introduced to each other back in 2000 and have been friends ever since. I was working in photography industry. Ramana was doing odd jobs and making art. Fashion was actually the furthest thing from our minds. Eventually Ramana started working in the industry designing bags. He worked for a bunch of different labels. It seemed fun. One day we were walking and talking and kidding around about starting our own handbag line. A year later we came up with the name - Dunlin. Names are not easy you know, especially when two people have to agree. Anyway, designing handbags just seemed like the right thing to do at that particular moment in our lives. It seemed right to get into something where we could direct our creativity in a completely different direction, one with more tangible results. Although art making continues to be one of our life projects, we are free to pursue it in decidedly more personal and ephemeral ways. It has only been two and a half years since our bags first started selling in stores and we can both honestly say, we have enjoyed every minute of it. Even the hard times are good. They teach us patience and sometimes nudge us in surprising new directions.
Your bags have a distinctly urban/utilitarian aesthetic, how do you conjure this look? (what colors or shapes do you stay away from? what do you think about when you are designing?)
Having been born and raised in Tokyo, I was exposed to the culture and aesthetic of the handbag quite early. In grade school my friends and I were already seeking to define ourselves uniquely by what bag we carried. It is crazy to think back and realize I was already developing a personal aesthetic at such a young age. Large bags, men's bags, military bags, vintage suitcase attracted me most. To this day they have continued to provide me with inspiration as Ramana and I work on Dunlin.
Perhaps these early formative years helped define the signature Dunlin look or perhaps it is the fact that we are a male/female design team. Obviously both have contributed to the fact that our look is unisex and many of our bags can be carried by both men and women. We tend to stay away from shapes that are girly. But I should add, this is not a rule. Nothing about our design process is absolute. We have ideals, but they exist in the moment and are always free to transform and grow. The one thing you realize quickly in a partnership is that you have to let go. You have to suspend all rules because one of us will end up tipping that rule on its head. If we don't, once the bag enters the public domain it happens. After all, this is not just a partnership between Ramana and I alone, it also includes the people that have come to support our brand and wear our bags. Their voice is also part of our aesthetic. So at some point we have to confront a duality of perspectives. Actually every one of our designs is a work in progress that grows organically from season to season.
I guess this still doesn't answer your question fully. Context is so important. We are a New York brand. Our look is dark and understated with a distinctly urban feel. Black's, grey's, metallic's, and shades of white define our signature pallete, but we do like to throw in a color now and again to keep things fresh and exciting. It is impossibe to live in this city and not respond by creating designs with an urban/utillitarian aesthetic, right? So our authentic approach to design is the result of a convergence of practical and conceptual aesthetic concerns rooted in the creative culture of our city, our time, and our individual vision as designers.
The principles that inspire us are abstract and conceptual ideas surrounding the very meaning of a bag. The meaning of a bag is not only its form, as one commonly assumes, but rather its space. A bag in itself is nothing more than a structure that gives form and functionality to space. A bag makes space available for us to use. Approached from this angle we realized that a bag that effortlessly expands and contracts to allow for more or less space as needed takes this and pushes it to its limits. This is a bag designed to give us freedom. Expandability has been the driving force behind our signature design, the Lafayette line. This was our very first concept and has come to define the very essence of our design approach.
With 'it' handbags being so popular in America, how does a contemporary handbag line establish a reliable following without trying to compete with year long waiting lists and instantly recognizable shapes?
Our dark understated look runs completely counter to the concept of the "it" bag. Our bags are really for a small select audience that appreciates subtlety and nuance. We seek to continually refine and simplify our statement, whereas an "it" bag tends to go in the opposite direction with dangles, logo's, and a lot of unnecessary detailing. We don't want to water down our vision to give it the kind of mass appeal of an "it" bag. We are a small company that tries to be sincere about its craft. There is a realism that can only come about by keeping things simple and close to home. I think that comes through in our designs. That being said, we are gaining recognition with a specific niche audience who understands our aesthetic. But our aesthetic is not for everyone and we will be the first to admit it. Anyway, we are happy with our unique place in the market. We will likely remain a niche brand indefinitely, but that is in keeping with our attitude and approach to design.
Eco-friendly bags are becoming more and more popular. Why should someone carry a leather bag over, say, an organic or non-leather bag?
To be quite honest it is hard to answer this question. We both live conscientious lifestyles and recognize the importance of personal responsibility. We do draw the line with exotic skins like snake and fur where animals are killed for the skins alone. However, we wont be eliminating leather from our bags anytime soon. We simply love the look and feel of leather. It is hard to find a substitute with the same kind of versatility, durability, and natural beauty. The leather we use on our handbags come from cow, sheep, and goat. Therefore it is a byproduct of the meat industry. It is our belief that if we were to eliminating leather from our bags is would be more or less a symbolic gesture. Global meat consumption is really the root of the problem. It is massive and produces a large number of by-products that if unused would become industrial waste. Leather is one of those byproducts, so we don't feel guilty using it. That being said, symbolism is important and we are looking to introduce fabric bags in the near future, but it will be for both ecological reasons and for aesthetic ones. Fabric offers an entirely different set of formal and conceptual challenges that we are excited to take on.
What is your everyday life like? Does running Dunlin take up most of your day?
Dunlin is an unending focus weather we are sitting in the office or relaxing on the beach we never stop thinking about Dunlin. It is a joy to have such a focus and direction in life. We both have found a tremendous amount of meaning from this experience. We are still a young company. With time the meaning of our vision will certainly become richer and more gratifying.
We're sure many of you are swept up with Fashion Week happenings, but there's a pop-up to consider. Eponymous boutique OAK is hosting the limited edition designs of the hottest names in independent fashion for an event they're calling "Bondage" to celebrate their newest brick and mortar opening on Bond Street. For a few special days you can pick up designs by Vena Cava, Form, LD Tuttle, Complex Geometries, and Unconditional (see left for a complete list) all of which play with the notion of bondage from various conceptual perspectives. What's more, one of your editors has a side project with designer Stephanie Draves we once editorialized called boyfriend, and these designs will be included in the project. OAK is busy photographing the designer offerings this morning so, even if you're not in New York, you can buy them online later in the week. We'll keep you posted, and if you're in New York, be sure to stop by Bond Street for the opening reception. Meanwhile, some just-delivered fall goodies from the store, below. Update: See below for photo leaks of the limited edition items!
RSS Feed