Jan. 25 – Creativity, imagination and refinement, and “passion”: These are the secrets behind the success of the brand “Raison d’Être,” leather handbags, accessories and jewelry manufacturer based in Bologna, with “satellites” around the world. Sabine Masi, designer of the fashion house originally from Switzerland, confirms this: “It all stems from my passion for fashion and the leather. Production takes place at the Bologna headquarters, where we also manage logistics and sales; but we showroom in Berlin and London as well.” Today the designer is satisfied with her company, which was founded in 2000 and has made significant progress, becoming an icon of Made in Italy’s fashion products. The brand has become the means with which Sabine proposes her “Front Line” and her latest “Sabine” collection (launched in 2012), created to satisfy the need for an easy style, dedicated to a woman who lives in the speed of everyday life but still wants to feel “like a real gem.” “My collections – she adds – are the result of continuous research of selected materials.” This attention to detail makes them unique productions: “I begin looking for the basic materials; then I look around me for continuous inspiration and ideas. Everything I create has a story behind it. Recently – Sabine continues – I was at the Salone del Mobile, and I later tried to express on my bags collection the classic geometric trend so typical of house wear.” Both collections, Sabine and Raison d’Être, are sold in selected stores around the world: the main markets are Italy, Austria, France, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Poland, United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong and Korea. “Our company – explains the designer – is making great progress towards internationalization, with new relationships developing in South America and North America.” But the road to success has not been an easy one: “Made in Italy is in crisis – we imported more than we exported, ad today most companies are forced to pay exorbitant fees. To survive in this time of crisis it is important to re-evaluate and enhance the craftsmanship and our know-how. I noticed in recent years we are moving backwards, but this can also be an occasion to renovate and re-evaluate the values that were a lost. There are many young people out there who take this opportunity to learn our craftsmanship, without losing their enthusiasm, even though the lack any form of external support.” Women are the most fit to appreciate Sabine Masi’ collections: “Just like a shoe, a handbag is an accessory that women often buy before clothing. These are products that people enjoy because they don’t have an expiration date. For the winter, we proposed handbags and accessories in warm and reassuring colors, like cognac and green; while for the spring and summer we will offer a wide range of neutral tones, such as lemon yellow or orange.” “Bread & Butter” is the latest exhibition to which the Raison d’Être collection participated: “In Berlin we were very much appreciated. We have made contact with many foreign sellers. And soon we will stop in Paris. In the mean time, many have been asking to buy our products online, so we are setting up an e-commerce.” Young and fresh, contemporary and sophisticated, original and never dull, Sabine’s creations are synonymous with Italian excellence in the world; they are the ideal products for a strong-willed, dynamic and refined woman, who appreciates and researches detail quality and richness without giving up practicality.
