Salar handbags are the perfect blend of luxury with a casual feminine twist. They doesn’t simply stay on top of trends, they create them. We recently received the opportunity to interview the creative minds Behind Salar, one of the most luxurious accessory Brands in Italy.
Salar Bicheranloo and Francesca Monaco launched their first signature luxury bag collection Fall 2010-11 , which lead them to success season after season. Salar taken the fashion world by storm with its high fashion and high quality materials yet unusually well-priced bags. The retro-glamour Salar offer is very unique in Fashion Right now.In Short time Salar is considered one of the most original accessories line in Milan, Sold in Italian High End Boutiques like LUISA VIA ROMA, Penelope , BANNER and many more
UD :Please Tell us more about your educational and professional background ?
S: I studied industrial design in Mexico city at UNAM, gaining a specialization in product design and experienced an internship in Milan at the Politecnico, working for the Alessandro Mendini Atelier. I have then attended various courses in order to learn all the processes that go along with the fabrication and production of handbags and leather goods.
F: I studied fashion design at Milan Politecnico with internships both in Germany and Mexico. I have been working for several years for fashion maison Costume national
Salar Bicheranloo and Francesca Monaco launched their first signature luxury bag collection Fall 2010-11 , which lead them to success season after season. Salar taken the fashion world by storm with its high fashion and high quality materials yet unusually well-priced bags. The retro-glamour Salar offer is very unique in Fashion Right now.In Short time Salar is considered one of the most original accessories line in Milan, Sold in Italian High End Boutiques like LUISA VIA ROMA, Penelope , BANNER and many more
UD :Please Tell us more about your educational and professional background ?
S: I studied industrial design in Mexico city at UNAM, gaining a specialization in product design and experienced an internship in Milan at the Politecnico, working for the Alessandro Mendini Atelier. I have then attended various courses in order to learn all the processes that go along with the fabrication and production of handbags and leather goods.
F: I studied fashion design at Milan Politecnico with internships both in Germany and Mexico. I have been working for several years for fashion maison Costume national
UD: When did the two of you decide to come together to form one label, and why?
S: As soon as I finished my studies at the Politecnico, I started working as a designer of handbags in Mexico, when I moved to Milan I began to look for a work in a fashion brand, in the meantime, bought an old sewing machine and started to assemble a variety of materials using my knowledge and my background in the field of industrial design, and I applied it to fashion.
Within a few months I realized how this passion could turn into a real business and thanks to the support of Francesca Monaco and her solid experience in fashion industry, I decided to create my first bags collection. That was 2008"
S: As soon as I finished my studies at the Politecnico, I started working as a designer of handbags in Mexico, when I moved to Milan I began to look for a work in a fashion brand, in the meantime, bought an old sewing machine and started to assemble a variety of materials using my knowledge and my background in the field of industrial design, and I applied it to fashion.
Within a few months I realized how this passion could turn into a real business and thanks to the support of Francesca Monaco and her solid experience in fashion industry, I decided to create my first bags collection. That was 2008"
UD: When did you first decide that you wanted to become handbag designers ?
S: My interest for fashion and my background as product designer led me as a natural evolution to designing handbags. Handbags represent a perfect combination of style and design.
S: My interest for fashion and my background as product designer led me as a natural evolution to designing handbags. Handbags represent a perfect combination of style and design.
UD: What was the biggest challenge in establishing yourself as designers in your own right after working for names like Alessandro Mendini and Costume National ?
F: The biggest challenge was to merge our talents and our important experiences in a project that started from zero but that wanted to respond to high standards, just like our professional background experiences.
F: The biggest challenge was to merge our talents and our important experiences in a project that started from zero but that wanted to respond to high standards, just like our professional background experiences.
UD: You Both have lived and worked in many different countries. Would you say that your collection represent your multi-cultural experiences?
S: Yes, definitely! Every traveling and living experience abroad left us suggestions and ideas that, mixing them together, became our style.
S: Yes, definitely! Every traveling and living experience abroad left us suggestions and ideas that, mixing them together, became our style.
UD: How would you describe your design style, design signature and who is your targeted customer?
F: Until now it has been an evolution. Surely SALAR has a defined and strong style. We always try to create something different both in materials and shapes, experimenting new combinations of style and fashion for our customers. We don’t want to create the typical handbag, we want to bring something new. Our target is wide, we try to reach women from 15-99. It’s all about style.
F: Until now it has been an evolution. Surely SALAR has a defined and strong style. We always try to create something different both in materials and shapes, experimenting new combinations of style and fashion for our customers. We don’t want to create the typical handbag, we want to bring something new. Our target is wide, we try to reach women from 15-99. It’s all about style.
UD: What are some of your favorite materials you have always used to create your handbags?
S: We love leather in its infinite variations from treated leather to luxury ones just like the python we used for the F/W 2011. We adore hardware as well.
S: We love leather in its infinite variations from treated leather to luxury ones just like the python we used for the F/W 2011. We adore hardware as well.
UD: What is a typical day for you?
F: Every day is a different day, we range our daily activities from research to updating our website, from meeting clients to supervising the production of the new collections and then… with the leftover energies: party time!
F: Every day is a different day, we range our daily activities from research to updating our website, from meeting clients to supervising the production of the new collections and then… with the leftover energies: party time!
UD: Where do you get your inspiration for your designs?
S: From travelling, from friends, from people in the streets, from flea-markets (we love them) and sometimes we have an inspiration just playing with the materials.
S: From travelling, from friends, from people in the streets, from flea-markets (we love them) and sometimes we have an inspiration just playing with the materials.
UD: Who or what has been your greatest fashion influence?
F: I believe my greatest fashion influence comes from the old closet of my mother… She was always giving me the right style, She has transmitted me the passion for fashion with all her designer’s and research clothes .
F: I believe my greatest fashion influence comes from the old closet of my mother… She was always giving me the right style, She has transmitted me the passion for fashion with all her designer’s and research clothes .
UD: How would you describe your aesthetic?
F: Our aesthetic is based on innovation. We pursue innovation in order to give a plus to anyone wearing a SALAR bag.
UD: Many designers are collaborating with high street stores in order to make their designs more accessible to the general public. Would you ever consider this? And if so, who would you choose to work with?
SALAR handbags are already accessible in price, our aim is to give our best product quality for the right price. We could consider this as an opportunity to reach more people and it could turn out to be a challenging experience.
F: Our aesthetic is based on innovation. We pursue innovation in order to give a plus to anyone wearing a SALAR bag.
UD: Many designers are collaborating with high street stores in order to make their designs more accessible to the general public. Would you ever consider this? And if so, who would you choose to work with?
SALAR handbags are already accessible in price, our aim is to give our best product quality for the right price. We could consider this as an opportunity to reach more people and it could turn out to be a challenging experience.
UD: How would you like women to feel while wearing Salar Design ?
F: Feminine yet aggressive, romantic but dark, chic but with a rock soul, a woman that wants to find her character contrasts in the style of the bag that she wears. A bag in which she can fit her personality.
UD: Could you tell us the story behind Fall/Winter 2011 collection? And do you have a favorite pieces from this collection?
S: F/W 2011 collection is a celebration of the past and the future. Past, present, future. No longer in opposition, but as a constant evolution of the times. Nothing can prevail on time, everything mixes and blends as well as the aesthetics of rock, underground, that characterizes the DNA of the brand.
So treated leathers with aged looks, crumbling volumes, grainy surfaces, moving textures, revisited prints, all elements that give you the strong feeling the bag is yours at first glance.
F: Feminine yet aggressive, romantic but dark, chic but with a rock soul, a woman that wants to find her character contrasts in the style of the bag that she wears. A bag in which she can fit her personality.
UD: Could you tell us the story behind Fall/Winter 2011 collection? And do you have a favorite pieces from this collection?
S: F/W 2011 collection is a celebration of the past and the future. Past, present, future. No longer in opposition, but as a constant evolution of the times. Nothing can prevail on time, everything mixes and blends as well as the aesthetics of rock, underground, that characterizes the DNA of the brand.
So treated leathers with aged looks, crumbling volumes, grainy surfaces, moving textures, revisited prints, all elements that give you the strong feeling the bag is yours at first glance.
UD: Which is your favorite city in terms of fashion?
F: Milan, that’s why we decided to start here.
F: Milan, that’s why we decided to start here.
UD: How important are shows at Milan Fashion Week to someone trying to establish their own voice in the fashion world?
F: Very important because all fashion professionals are here during the fashion week. It is a great opportunity to gain visibility and to reach worldwide buyers that otherwise would be to far away.
F: Very important because all fashion professionals are here during the fashion week. It is a great opportunity to gain visibility and to reach worldwide buyers that otherwise would be to far away.
UD: What can we expect from Salar forthcoming collections and collaborations?
S: We have great news! For S/S 2012 we are designing new woman accessories like foulards and printed handbags, small leather goods and also there is an upcoming man collection from SALAR.
S: We have great news! For S/S 2012 we are designing new woman accessories like foulards and printed handbags, small leather goods and also there is an upcoming man collection from SALAR.
UD: What do you like to listen to while you work and how much influence does music have on your collections?
F: Lately we listen to a lot of rock n roll music from the 50’s that gives us the right vibe. Music is the never missing background to our work, we love music in all its variety but we are mainly influenced by other visual arts such as cinema and art.
F: Lately we listen to a lot of rock n roll music from the 50’s that gives us the right vibe. Music is the never missing background to our work, we love music in all its variety but we are mainly influenced by other visual arts such as cinema and art.
UD : What kind of advice would you give to someone interested in getting into the fashion industry today?
S: My suggestion is to be yourself, maintaining and developing a personal style and most important of all never get tired of knocking on doors and showing your ideas.
Salar Fall/Winter 2011 Preview at Banner Milano:
Salar Fall/Winter 2011 Preview at LUISA VIA ROMA :
S: My suggestion is to be yourself, maintaining and developing a personal style and most important of all never get tired of knocking on doors and showing your ideas.
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