Finds at Lineapelle NYC
Hands down favorite booth at Lineapelle NYC was a newcomer to the show.
Crisden immediately stood out. Their booth was filled with luxury ping pong paddles, handcrafted miniature merry-go-rounds, sculpted leather flowers, beautiful backgammon sets, covered trunks, and tiny leather creatures.
We had the pleasure of meeting the father-daughter duo from the family. The 13-year-old daughter was spending time at the show with dad, and shared that she was practicing her English, and enjoyed travel. Dad was also very clear that the next generation didn't have to join the family business unless they wanted to, which we loved.
But the story behind the company made it even better.
Crisden was founded in 1973 in Reggio Emilia, Italy, as a belt factory by Cristina and Denis, whose names came together to form Crisden. More than 50 years later, the company is still family-run, with an archive of more than 32,000 models developed and preserved since its inception.
We got a glimpse into some of the work they've done for major luxury houses, along with a few special projects tucked behind the booth that were definitely not for photographs. 🙂
When we're walking a show like Lineapelle, we're always thinking about the projects we're working on now, the proposals we're waiting to hear back on, and the kinds of clients we'd love to work with next.
Crisden most certainly sparked ideas for a few. Their work spans traditional leather craftsmanship, product development, experimentation, and a level of material play that felt unexpected.
We asked if we could take a few photos, and understandably, they preferred we didn't. So sharing a few publicly available images of their work instead.
They are also refreshingly open about their approach to sustainability and welfare, something we appreciated and want to learn more about.
Hope we get to make something together someday. And if that happens, we wouldn't mind a research trip to Reggio Emilia!
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