It might just be the early days of spring, but at the Hello! Fashion office we are already planning our summer wardrobes. Lucky for us a chance encounter between two sartorial savants has spawned a handbag collaboration we will be sporting when the season hits.
In the summer of 2020, Marina Raphael met clothing designer Caroline Constas at the Amazone hotel in Porto Heli, Greece. (So far, so chic.) The pair instantly bonded through their Greek heritage and appreciation for sustainability. "I have always admired her brilliant and unique designs." Marina explains, "With a mission to honour our Greek roots and create true objets d’art, we designed a capsule collection of six pieces that are perfect for any destination and can elevate any summer look."
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The collection is inspired by the Aegean Sea
Of course as a sixth generation heiress to the Swarovski crystal dynasty Marina Raphael has design in her DNA, so it came as no surprise when she started her eponymous luxury bag brand back in 2018. The influencer approved handbag label creates modern styles with sustainability at the core, each handbag handmade in Florence, Italy. "I personally believe that sustainable fashion is the future of fashion. From the very beginning we have worked towards implementing innovative techniques that lead to a near-0-waste policy, such as upcycling, recycling materials and consciously tanning small quantities of leather, while constantly searching for new creative ways to evolve and reduce our carbon footprint," Marina tells us.
For the collaboration there are three styles in the collection. The drop consists of Marina Raphael’s existing silhouettes, with an additional new shape introduced: a girly ruffled bag with a drawstring top and leather strap, a signature style of Caroline Constas. With a palette inspired by the Aegean Sea and the ancient ruins of their heritage, the collection consists of camel and blue toile prints. Integrating elements from each brand shows the creative influence from both designers.
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Marina Raphael in her studio
Talking to us about her bags, Marina explained, "It is our mission to create products that are not ephemeral, stand the test of time and can be passed down to generations. In my opinion, a piece can be defined as ‘classic’ when its aesthetic value remains everlasting regardless of seasons and trends." With this in mind, it’s clear to see why Marina chose to use these silhouettes when creating this collaboration. The classic shape of the bags along with Caroline Constas design influence enables the collection to have a completely different look to Marina’s mainline, whilst keeping the core brand style in mind.
With summer days drawing closer, this collection is perfect for a vacay or staycay, the fresh palette paired with the classic shapes allows you to mix and match with an array of different outfits.
The collaboration introduces a new signature ruffled handbag
Marina adds, "After a long period of self-isolation and social restrictions, I couldn’t be more excited for summer to come. My wishlist at the moment is filled with Caroline’s incredible designs. From gorgeous matching two piece sets to show stopping maxi dresses." Now all we need is to book the holiday.
The Marina Raphael x Caroline Constas collaboration launches today and is available to buy on two brands' respective websites.
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