Carlos Falchi started out as a rock ‘n’ roll costume designer, stitching leather pants and costumes for the likes of Mick Jagger and Tina Turner in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
But when the Brazilian designer tried to sell some of his creations to Henri Bendel in New York, the buyer was more interested in the colorful snakeskin tote bags that held his samples than the stage clothes. Falchi hurried back to his Greenwich Village apartment, whipped up a few bags, and a career was born.
Over the years, he has collaborated with such designers as Donna Karan, Michael Kors and Yves Saint Laurent, and his work has been featured in TV shows and movies, including “Sex and the City” and “The Devil Wears Prada.”
More than three decades later, Falchi is still turning exotic skins like python, crocodile and ostrich into coveted clutches, satchels and medicine bags. A number of other designers from Ralph Lauren to Nancy Gonzalez are also using the precious skins (from animals that are farmed rather than captured in the wild), which has driven up both demand and prices.
Prices for Falchi’s bags start at about $500 and can go to $10,000 for an alligator satchel, while Lauren’s “Ricky” alligator bag sells for $14,000 and Hermes gets $30,000 for its crocodile Birkin bag. It can be argued that a person who pays for a purse what could get her a small SUV should have her head examined, but Hermes keeps a waiting list for its in-demand Birkins.
Falchi recently showed his collection at Andrisen Morton Women’s in Denver.
“His mixing of different skins in one bag, along with the hand-stitching details and use of color, are unique to Carlos Falchi,” said Stefanie Bebesi, accessories buyer at the store. She says women become collectors of his bags because they appreciate his artistic sense and the fact that he doesn’t just follow the fashion trend of the season.
So what makes for an investment-quality handbag? We asked Falchi to list some of the features of his bags, which are made in his New York factory. A single Falchi bag can take three days to complete because there are so many steps in the process, from hand- punching holes in the leather to hand-stitching pieces together.
Here are some things to consider when shopping for an exotic-skin bag, the designer says:
It starts with best-quality skins, and Falchi makes sure he has a steady supply by owning a crocodile farm in South America. He also is a partner in a tannery in New York. The skins are measured and sold in centimeters, and American alligator now fetches from $40-$70 per centimeter. Prices have tripled in the past couple of years, he says.
Look for hides colored with vegetable dyes, not sprayed with color.
Find out how the skins were treated. A single bag can require that a skin be dyed, glazed and sueded. Hand- painting and metallic washes are other techniques used.
How soft and pliable is the material? Falchi doesn’t add cardboard or stiffeners to bags, so they remain lightweight and supple.
Examine handles and how they’re attached to a bag. Many Falchi styles are hand- braided and then hand- stitched to the body of the purse.
Inspect linings. Is it high quality suede, leather or coated microfiber; or inexpensive nylon?
Zippers should slide smoothly and be long enough so you can comfortably get your hand in and out of the bag or pocket.
How many interior pockets and compartments are there, and are they well-made?
Look at the hardware. For the handles of his evening bags, Falchi uses jewelry-quality polished chains from Italy.
Make sure metallic snaps are strong so the bag stays closed.
To keep a bag looking good:To care for a fine leather or exotic-skin bag, avoid getting perfume or oils on the skin, as they will remove color and can stain the bag.
Use Tana cream to clean leather. Put cream on a clean cloth and then sparingly apply it to the bag.
Store the purse in a cloth bag when you’re not using it.
Suzanne S. Brown: 303-954-1697 or sbrown@denverpost.com
