Five Minutes With Minima Handcrafted
My love for handmade things comes from the fact that nowadays it is very difficult – and usually expensive – to find something that truly feels and looks unique! We’re lucky that Perth is slowly becoming more supportive of its creatives and in the process this talent is deciding to stay and establish their brands here, which means that we have increasing access to beautiful and innovative products. I first discovered Amanda Kaye’s brand Minima Handcrafted on Instagram and was immediately drawn to her angular designs and rich colours, which were so refreshing after consistently seeing the same products in my feed. I finally met Amanda and got to see her beautiful designs in person at the Sunday Best Markets and absolutely fell in love with her story, ethos and of course her bags!
Minima Handcrafted began after Kaye started crafting leather gifts for friends and family, the process became so rewarding that she decided to make a business out of her new found passion. “I wanted to create a romantic product that has a distinct personality and character. I think it is important to get people thinking about what goes into making something by hand, going back to basics and honouring past traditions.”
Kaye went to Florence for a month and studied under an artisan who had over 30 years experience in crafting leather. [She] learnt about leather, tools and traditional techniques and used her new skills and knowledge to launch Amanda Kaye, handcrafted leather handbags. In a market where most of what we buy is mass produced her skill, creativity and originality have set her apart and her creations are truly special. “We are such an impatient society these days and we expect things to arrive as soon as we want them. There is no personal experience in this. In my opinion mass-produced products quickly lose their initial allure. I want my handbags to grow with their owner. I want my customer to have an ongoing experience and not just an everyday purchase. I want people to appreciate the workmanship that is involved in making a product and to think from time to time ‘wow, someone actually stitched this; this has human value’.”
As soon as I saw the Andalus Satchel in night sky blue, I fell in love! Even though my birthday was quite a few months away, it went straight to the top of the list and the boyfriend got a screen shot of the bag and the details to go! It was one of the best presents I’ve ever received and knowing that someone had handmade every inch of this bag and that it was going to be different from every other Andalus Satchel was a very special feeling. I took the bag with me on my recent trip to Europe and it was the best travel companion, everyone I met up with asked me about the bag and I knew that I had to write a blog post about it. Interestingly Kaye’s bags are heavily inspired by Moorish shapes and designs, [she] simplifies theses intricate patterns to create contemporary minimal pieces. The Andalus Satchel actually “represents the archways of the Alhambra. The small front tab is a last brick that is put in place on top of the arch.” It is the stories, inspiration and process behind the creation of these bags that make the end product so much more interesting and valuable. I hope this inspires you to support your local and national creatives.
Photo 1: Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris. Photo 2: Notting Hill, London. Photo 3: Essen, Germany.I hope you enjoyed another one of my local highlights, to keep up with everything Amanda Kaye is doing be sure to follow her on Instagram.
Xx Nadine