BONIA shines a spotlight on Peruvian designs in its Lost Empires collection

Fusing together the intricacies of Peruvian culture with contemporary design, the leather experts at BONIA have taken an intriguing route with their latest Spring/Summer 2017 collection: The Lost Empires. Steeped in a sense of identity and crafted to imbue the essence of the ancient South American aesthetic, the bags in the collection seamlessly embrace distinct textural qualities and artisanal techniques native to Peru. Each bag seeks to tell fascinating stories of the traditions in which they embody.

The Lost Empires features the BONIA Raffia Twist collection, which introduces a superb raffia leather satchel in chromatic colours of light grey, blush pink, medium grey, and dark beige. Unique woven patterns highlight a signature ethnic style. Of course, there’s nothing ancient about this bag – with modern touches, including gold accents and a mini bag charm, this will make a chic addition to any city-dweller’s collection.

The Sonia Raffia Twist bag takes Peruvian handcrafted woven art to the next level, employing geometric designs reminiscent of Peruvian raffia baskets. Eye-catching colours and elegant leather trimmings make the bag a great daytime addition to any ensemble.

The Q’iswa Collection has a few surprises of its own. Embracing a minimalist bucket bag aesthetic, its star feature is its impressive handwoven handle, inspired by the last Incan handwoven bridge in Peru: the Q’eswachaka Rope Bridge.

With its unique pieces, the bags in this series manage to highlight the beauty and heritage of Peru. If anything, the collection definitely shows us that even ancient traditional designs have a place among modern fashion.

Angela Goh

Photos: BONIA

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