What’s more intriguing is perhaps the fact that Kongo was a Vietnamese refugee who must have have faced adversity growing up. Having had the chance to ask him a few questions, I did just that, and then some.

Bagaholicboy: From Vietnamese refugee to celebrated graffiti artist living and working in France. How did that happen?

Kongo: I painted and drew but when I arrived in France to live with my grandparents, it was clandestine. I was a refugee from the Vietnam war and had no papers. Being really shy, I used painting to express myself. I needed to dream and live my imagination. Graffiti was perfect for me.

Your real name is Cyril Phan. Why did you take on the moniker ‘Kongo’?

K: People who didn’t know me used to judge my tag and think that Kongo would be a big, black man. They didn’t know it would be a skinny Vietnamese kid. I used Kongo after living in Africa from the age of 13 to 18. It was a tribute to the most cherished parts of my childhood.

Working with Hermes has got to be a huge honour, for any artist. How did that come about?

K: The first time I met with the team, I was told, ‘We like your work, but we don’t know what we can do with it. Show us what you’re doing, bring us your style and the door will stay open.’

From a distance, the impression may be that Hermès is only for the rich but that’s not true. Its philosophy is very human. Hermès is like the graffiti community in some ways; it’s not just about the form, how things look, but the heart, what’s within.

Your first collaboration with Hermès resulted in the Graff Hermès scarves. What was the inspiration behind it?

K: The Graff Hermès scarf took two years to design. I take my time and Hermès takes their time. I took my letters which I’ve used in the streets and made them chic. I wanted to express energy, the energy of the street, of my travels. So I created an explosion of Hermès letters exploding to every side with splashes of paint.

Usually, in classic Hermès carrés, there are four borders. Here are only two so it’s open. It isn’t hemmed in. You can’t hem graffiti in. It’s a blast of freedom.

Kongo will be in attendance during the opening of the Hermès Scotts Square store this Friday (9 December 2011), where he will be unveiling more artwork and creating custom graffiti name tags. And if you’re keen on getting yourself a Graff Hermès, they will be available for sale at SGD620 a pop.

Images: Hermès

Q: So tell me, what services do you offer?
A: We help customers maintain their valued items by cleaning stains, restoring colour, doing repairs and applying a protective coating to minimise possible damages like water marks, colour transfer and wear and tear.

Q: Great. Anything else?
A: We share information and ideas on how to keep the items in good shape and do research to update our skills and knowledge to satisfy customers’ challenging enquiries like restoring certain designs printed on the items, offer alternativeways to revitalise customers’ cherished items and so on.

Q: One of the greatest banes my readers often face is the dreaded colour transfer, which always happens even if they have been especially careful. How does ColorWash tackle something like this?
A: We will try to clean meticulously by hand to salvage the situation as much as we can. It helps a lot if there’s been transparent coating done on the bag and if the customer has brought the bag in quickly enough. Otherwise, we can also do partial colour touch-up or even complete colouring to restore the bag if the colour transfer situation is really bad.  However, note that each bag is special and our recommendation varies from case to case.

Q: Now that sounds drastic. Is there any way the colour transfer could have been avoided in the first place?
A: First of all, we try to educate our customers on how to prevent or minimise it from happening through sharing when they visit our stores. Alternatively, we can offer transparent coating service for leather items to minimise colour transfers. Even it gets colour stains after the treatment, it makes cleaning the stain so much easier.

One more practical tip is to give your new clothes a round of gentle laundry before wearing them. For denim items like jeans, don’t forget to add a little salt to the final rinse. This helps to minimise colour run from the clothes to the leather bags or shoes.

Q: What are water protection and transparent coating treatment? Pray tell.
A: In a nutshell, water protection treatment is to minimise the instant penetration of water into the material. It does eventually seep in slowly though, if you do not wipe it quickly. But still, that’s better than doing nothing at all, right?

Transparent coating works like the top coating for your nail polish. It helps your leather last longer and also minimises stains till the coating wears off.  This coating does not change the texture or colour of your items as it comes transparent and is applied very thinly by machine.

Q: Besides colour transfers, what other situations do you most encounter when clients bring their bags in?
A: Beyond your imagination! We’ve seen bags ‘infested’ with termites from the stitch holes, bags that were ‘seasoned and marinated’ with sunscreen cream and makeup.

There was one case of an expensive red leather bag that had a big patch of rotten area because the owner had forgotten to remove mandarin oranges from the year before!  Another memorable case was how a spanking new leather bag was completely soaked with orange juice as the owner’s baby thought it was fun to pour it into the bag.

Q: I have heard that any additional coating that you put on your leather bag causes it to dry up over time, which will eventually cause it to crack. Is this true?
A: If it’s true, customers won’t keep returning to ColorWash to have their transparent coating done repeatedly. Cracks happen when you apply acrylic colouring manually or any other coating without professional know-how. We have seen many customers coming to ColorWash for help when they’d damaged their items by applying colouring or coating themselves, or via other service providers.

Cracks and stiffening of leather can also happen when you leave your leather items too long in the wardrobe without maintaining by applying moisturiser and airing them.

Q: Do you have any examples of bags (or shoes) you worked on?
A: Yes, check out our online site for snapshots of the bags and shoes before and after our treatments, as well as testimonials from brands and customers alike. You can also check out our online price guide which details the type of treatment and their respective costs. We also have some before/after pics on our Facebook fan page.

Q: Lastly, where are ColorWash outlets located in Singapore?
A: We currently have 6 outlets in Singapore, all conveniently located in and around town, including China Square Central, Mandarin Gallery, Tanjong Pagar and United Square. For those living in the eastern and western parts of Singapore, they can also check out our outlets at Siglap Centre and West Coast Plaza respectively. There’s also a new outlet opening in mid December at PSA Building. For addresses and opening hours, do check out our online directory.

Image: Ridhwan Sesapar

This is a special courtesy of ColorWash

Here are the 10 choice nuggets from the man behind the Spanish luxury house Loewe.

‘The Loewe woman is grown-up and pulled together.’
- When asked the type of woman he designs for.

‘I love doing collaborations with designers (like Katie Hillier) and artists I look up to/admire to keep pushing the brand forward.’
- One of the ways he keeps the brand relevant and referencing the new limited edition Masters Of Leather collection.

‘There are many French and Italian luxury houses, but only one Loewe.’
- He professes his love and explains in one line why he thinks the Spanish luxury house is so unique.

‘The brand is focused on doing what we do best, instead of doing everything.’
- Staying true to the brand’s passion and skill for leather crafts that has been handed down from generation to generation.

‘Every season we look at new techniques to make leather even more wearable and lightweight, and work towards making it suitable to wear all year round.’
- On what is always at the back of his mind whenever he is in the midst of creating a new collection.

‘The ‘It’ bag is never about the logo, but always about the design.’
- When asked what he places emphasis on whenever he starts working on a new bag.

‘They can’t be too heavy, and they must be functional as well.’
- Clearly, he knows what women want as well when it comes to bags.

‘Giving customers a say as to how they would want their bags to look like, and getting them involved in the process.’
- When asked how the idea of having the Made-To-Order collection came about.

‘Not all archive bags translate from the archives. We try and try and sometimes it just doesn’t work. But when it does, it turns out beautifully.’
- Referring to the Vintage Re-Edition, an archive piece that’s featured in the MTO collection.

‘We wil relaunch our mens collection next year in Paris during PFW.’
- One of the things the boys can look forward to from the house come 2012.

Post interview, I had a quick chat with the man himself and I’m happy to report that Loewe will be launching technology cases next year, and also, there will be a Papelle in grey/black for the guys come 2012.

Thrilling, isn’t it?

Image: Loewe

First seen on the runways of the S/S11 presentation, the Obsedia is the perfect juxtaposition of hard and soft, ornate and graphic, masculine and feminine. Seen on a variety of bags since its first appearance, the Obsedia emblem is present again on pieces from the F/W11 collection.

Besides clutches, other pieces you’ll find with the emblem include shoulder bags with long, slinky chains, and generously-sized hobos in leather.

You’ll also find gorgeous cuffs this season, from stunning patent leather variations to those in brightly coloured hues of purple or yellow. Go rock, or go pop, it is really up to you.

If you’re looking to get your own piece of Obsedia online, LuisaViaRoma has a great selection of clutches, while Barneys has the hobos. Or just head on down to Givenchy at Paragon and have a look.

Images: Givenchy

Established in 1853, Goyard only has a handful of stores around the world, something which makes them even more coveted. Less is more? Indeed. As far as the selection goes, the Hong Kong store is pretty self-sufficient, but because the brand is so popular around the region, most of the desirable bags are almost always sold out.

I could go on and on, but here are my top 10 points to note when shopping in Goyard. If you’re planning a trip soon, don’t forget to bookmark this post.

01. Goyard Hong Kong does not take email orders. Unlike their London or Paris counterparts, Hong Kong is not yet equipped to handle overseas orders via email or phone.

02. When it comes to the bags and SLGs at Goyard, do note that there are different prices for different colours. Black, Red and Tan are the basic colours, while all others like Blue, Burgundy, Green and Yellow retail for around 30% more.

03. There are 3 basic colours (Black, Red and Tan) and 7 other colours, each colour having a numeric code. For example, Black is 01, Red is 02 and so on. Pink is not one of the 10 regular colours, but a limited edition hue that pops up from time to time.

04. There is, however, one exception. All the colours for the classic Goyard Saint Louis are priced the same, HKD8700 for the MM and HKD9900 for the GM. The Goyard Belvedere (shown above), which is one of the newest additions to the family, retails for HKD15,000 and HKD17,500 respectively for the 3 basic colours.

05. Another new bag, the Goyard Voltaire which is a roomy vertical A3 tote, is also the first one in the family to come with its own detachable shoulder strap and it retails for HKD17,000.

06. SLGs to check out that I personally adore include the Varenne (a long continental wallet for the ladies) that costs HKD8200 and the passport cover for the men that can easily double up as a travel wallet which retails for HKD4300.

07. Bags for men worth checking out include the Diplomat, an A4-sized briefcase that retails for HKD19,200. Another Goyard basic, the Ambassade retails for HKD22,670. The larger Ambassade 24H goes for HKD30,700. All prices listed here refer to the 3 basic colours only.

08. Prices at Goyard Hong Kong start from HKD2300 (around SGD350 after conversion) for the flat card case in the basic colours.

09. The Hong Kong boutique will take requests for monograms, but they will take up to 8 weeks to process as all painting is currently sent to and executed by the craftsman based in Japan. Prices are dependent on the number of initials and stripes if desired, and it is best to get a quote directly from the boutique.

10. Last but not least, Goyard never goes on sale. Really.

Any other questions? Please leave them in the comments section and I’ll try to answer them as best I can.

Image: Goyard

As far as I remember, the Knot has always been kept constant, refreshed in new colours and materials season after season but never mutilated. No adding of a strap here, or tassels a foot long there. It has always been consistently curated and treated like the elegant lady she is, with respect and dignity.

It isn’t exactly the biggest clutch out there, but that is the idea. To be small and discreet and holding the barest of essentials, while letting the person carrying it shine as she rightfully should. The Knot is not meant to be showstopper, instead a companion that can hold her own at the glitziest of galas.

And for those reasons alone, I love the Knot.

Still, loving one also means knowing its background and in the case of the Knot, seeing how it’s made is certainly a treat. Check out the short video from a series by Bottega Veneta titled Hand Of The Artisan, which includes a short clip on the making of the Knot.

And if you, like me, feel the same way about it, you can always check them out on Net-A-Porter, or at Bottega Veneta boutiques island wide, including ION Orchard and Takashimaya Department Store.

Image & Video: Bottega Veneta

YOU SHOULD SEE: Clutch Action (F/W11 Milan)
YOU SHOULD SEE: Bottega Veneta Embroidered Knot Collection

What do you do? You check out the WOC of course. Basically a long wallet with an even longer chain attached to it, each WOC comes built in with card slots on one side, and a zip pocket (along with another open slot) on the other side.

Concealed under the flap is another zip pocket, and another slot can be found on the back of the bag. This is true of most WOCs from Chanel, though it varies from model to model.

The best example of someone rocking the Chanel WOC I can find online is this, of Audrina Patridge (from MTV’s The Hills), slung casually across the body and finished with skinny jeans and killer stilettos. The one that she’s carrying looks to be the one in quilted Caviar leather, which retails for SGD2530 in Singapore.

Other leathers/designs the WOC comes in include quilted lambskin, shiny patent leathers, Sevruga leather, the elusive Reissue (with the rectangular clasp), embossed pieces (Cardigan, Camellia and Timeless), as well as the unusually shaped Half Moon.

Here’s an example of the Chanel WOC in quilted patent calfskin (SGD2530). Divine, isn’t it? Just to give you an idea of the size, this little darling measures 19 cm by 12.5 cm.

Slightly longer than the regular WOC is the Chanel WOC Half Moon in shiny lambskin, which measures 25.5 cm across and retails for SGD1900 currently.

There are also seasonal WOC pieces launched every year, some more successful than the next. From the Cruise 2011 collection there was this limited edition piece in patent calfskin (SGD1880) with the embossed CC logo. Or pieces in exotic leathers, like the one in printed python (with the CC clasp) at the top of the post.

Now for the bad news. Besides being small (which is actually the point of these bags in the first place), the shoulder straps are long and they can’t be removed, which will prove a challenge for those who are well, short. You can tuck in the straps to turn it into a clutch but that does take up quite a lot of the already limited space.

And before I sign off, do note that all prices listed are estimates, since I hear that Chanel will be having another round of price adjustments (up up it goes) in the near future. Any other questions?

Images: Chanel

Working closely with both the celebrated (Mulberry presented renowned photographer Tim Walker’s first foray into film The Lost Explorer at BAFTA) and the mainstream (their collaboration with Target is selling like hotcakes), Creative Director Emma Hill is bent on spreading the English brand’s good name far and wide.

I had a chance to get up close and personal with Ms Hill herself during the Spring-Summer 2011 Womens Mulberry presentation in London, as she graciously offered me a glimpse into her world…

Bagaholicboy: When you come out with collections season after season, is there a specific woman you design for, or does she evolve with every collection?

Emma Hill: We design with the Mulberry girl in mind. She appreciates British heritage and quality, is edgy and chic and loved by all. Like any girl she grows with time; for S/S11 our Mulberry girl is all grown up with longer hemlines.

You previously worked at Marc Jacobs, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Chloe and Gap. How did any of those stints prepare you for today’s role at Mulberry and have any influences been carried over?

EH: I fell in love with designing accessories and have been so fortunate to have spent my career working for some of the best brands in the world. My experience has taught me to design from gut instinct rather than look at what everyone else is doing.

My dream job is the one I now have: heading up such an iconically fabulous, heritage-rich and cheeky-charming British brand as Mulberry and working with my incredible team!

Who would you name as your role models, both professionally, as well as on a personal level?

EH: My son Hudson! And of course my lovely Mulberry team!

I understand that Mulberry is the only brand that still has a production facility in the UK. Is it important for Mulberry to retain its legacy?

EH: It is very important to us. I myself come from a family of ‘makers’ and to work for a company that is proud to retain its Somerset roots is such an honour.

We love to continually update and make ever more fabulous our bank of iconic, heritage bags; the perfect mix of classic and new! And manufacturing our bags through our Somerset factory is the ultimate way to respect our heritage, being the last luxury British brand to do so!

I see more and more brands going online and having a greater presence than before. How important is social media to Mulberry now?

EH: Very important! This is illustrated by our very own sparkling new blog. It is a great way to connect to our lovely Mulberry fans, providing them with a real insight into the brand, and in return they provide us with all their lovely comments!

Who is your ultimate design muse and what would you design for him or her?

EH: Our gorgeous line up for our S/S11 show was inspired by the beautiful Julia Johansen (shown above). She was our muse-model for the season (we fell in love with her Scandinavian complexion, her cheeky freckles and her awesome choppy red hair) and so we had the brilliant Sam McKnight replicate her hair for each of our 16 girls!

What were your biggest inspirations for S/S11. And is it true that you are designing for a younger Mulberry woman these days?

EH: For S/S11 Mulberry we were inspired by a walk through the vintage glamour of the film Grey Gardens as well as the timeless children’s novel The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. We love Little and Big Edie and the theme of the ‘dishevelled glamour’ is a constant one for us at Mulberry so it was perfect!

I always design for the Mulberry girl. She is well-loved, enduringly edgy, classic, funny, smart, creative, stylish, and iconic and truly one of a kind; much the way I think about Mulberry. We can’t mould her into an age gap, but we can love her to bits!

Images: Mulberry

YOU SHOULD SEE: Mulberry: The Snapshots
YOU SHOULD SEE: S/S11 Womens Mulberry Press Presentation
YOU SHOULD SEE: Update – S/S11 Womens Mulberry
YOU SHOULD SEE: S/S11 Womens Mulberry
YOU SHOULD SEE: Mulberry Tillie In Silky Snake Print

Bamboo was abundant and fast-growing, which led Guccio Gucci to use the material as the centrepiece for the bag in 1947. Painstakingly crafted using the naked flame to bend and mould the handle into its distinctive horseshoe shape, it soon became the bag’s most iconic feature and one not easily forgotten.

Soon they were spotted in the arms of everyone from Audrey Hepburn to Grace Kelly, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to Diana Spencer. It was also embraced by Paola di Liegi (shown above), who is the current reigning queen of Belgium.

And to celebrate this illustrious legacy, Gucci will be presenting a retrospective exhibition at Marina Bay Sands that officially kicks off this Saturday (30 October 2010). Specially preserved archived pieces from the original Bamboo collection will be on display, along with photography displays of personalities including Ingrid Bergman and Vanessa Redgrave, carrying the Bamboo throughout the years.

The exhibition will be on-going at Marina Bay Sands till 4 November 2010, and will then move to Paragon from 12 to 21 November 2010.

I’m just glad that I will be able to catch the exhibition for myself and get a close-enough look at all these beautiful pieces. If they could talk, can you imagine the kind of stories they will be able to tell?

And yes, both exhibitions are free and open to the public as well.

Images: Gucci

I don’t exactly know when it was first released, but if I’m correct, the Epi Saint Cloud was named after a district in north-west Paris, which was once a rural country estate that royalty called home. Basically a simply designed sling bag, it has one general compartment and a zip pocket, with a front flap that’s anchored with an inverted horseshoe ring. Measuring 24 cm by 22 cm, it is also not very big, which is fine considering the fact that it was never meant to be a workhorse; simply a small (and may I add cute) shoulder bag for city living. It also comes in a small size (PM) and that measures 17 cm by 15 cm.

Besides Blue, it was produced in other colours that included Black, Fawn (an orangey-brown), Green and Red, which you can find on eBay these days for around USD150 (under SGD200) on average, depending on the general condition. And because counterfeiters were almost non-existent back then, chances are good that you’ll come across many authentic pieces for this particular model.

And with the small sling shoulder bag in trend at the moment (due credit should be given to Phoebe Philo of course), there is no better time to get yourself one of these forgotten darlings. Besides being really affordable, I personally consider them ‘vintage’ collectibles that every savvy fashionista should have in her personal collection.

Image: Louis Vuitton