We are proud to announce Sorcha O’Raghallaigh X Betangible collaboration. We must admit that the experience has been fantastic and the result is simply spectacular. We also want to thank Design & Sampling Studio ALEP for their help.
We visited her studio in London last week and spoke with her about this collaboration. Find it below.
Betangible: Tell us about your latest collection.
Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: The main source of inspiration behind this collection is the work of artist Alfred Gilbert, in particular his memorial sculptures. I am continually drawn to things that are quite dark and moody but at the same time have a romantic aesthetic — something which Gilbert’s work possesses. I never like to draw all my inspiration from just one subject so I also looked to Victorian Harlequin outfits for some additional inspiration; I wanted the collection to have a playful side in contrast to the darker moody side.
Betangible: Why did you chose to work with leather?
Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: I really wanted to work with leather to create something which was practical, durable, good quality but that still embodied our aesthetic. A lot of the pieces we create are one of a kind; they can be very ornate and not really for everyday wear and due to the bespoke nature they are not accessible to everyone. I wanted to make something that was the opposite of all of this, however I did not want to create a watered down version of our aesthetic, I felt we could achieve all of this by creating a capsule collection of luxury leather bags.
Betangible: How did you find working with Betangible?
Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: Last season we attempted to make bags ourselves, we found the whole experience tricky and it was difficult as we had no experience in making bags before, so we were extremely happy to have the opportunity to collaborate with Betangible on the bags for the new collection. Working with Betangible was an amazing experience as we wanted to develop our original ideas for bags as well as create something new. The Betangible team were very open, patient and helpful which made the whole process feel like an education. We learnt so much through the whole experience. I feel the bags surpassed our initial vision because of the support, communication and the quality of craftsmanship that Betangible provided.
Betangible: What are your favourite features of the capsule collection of bags?
Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: Overall my favourite features are all the little details that make the bags such good quality. I love the rich colour of the blood red pony skin on the exterior and the the contrasting burgundy dyed edges, the leather lining, the quality of finish and craftsmanship is what really excites me the most.
Betangible: How do you think the capsule collection works as a whole?
Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: I love the collection as a whole as I feel that the clutches are a great continuation from last season, they have our signature of hand embellished florals. I also feel we have moved forward with the round sculptural bag, I think the collection marries well together and I feel that it is a strong representation of our aesthetic. There is a Good choice of sizes, from coin purse right up to iPad sized clutches and the round bag feels like a really special addition.
Betangible: As you’ve mentioned, your collections are usually quite ornate and couture – how did it feel to make something more practical?
Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: Really great it was so good collaborating with Betangible as I feel the object is not just practical but also beautiful, thanks to all the expert craftsmanship. I’m really excited by and proud of this collaboration.
Sorcha O’Raghallaigh: The Spanish are world renowned for their leather products and to me “made in Spain” means quality — The standard of the bags that we received were so exquisite that it makes sense why they are so renowned for their leather goods. We could not have asked for more!
Sorcha O’Raghallaigh & Betangible Collaboration.
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