beauty is truth, truth beauty:
that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know .
John Keats
Antonia and Gunilla Valier
We devoted the first part of our lives to the company founded by our grandfather in the 1930s, which our parents managed for many years. We have worked hard, reliably and responsibly because that is the right thing to do. Then, as fate would have it, the time came for us to choose what to do with the rest of our lives. It was nice. For the first time, we were able to do the thing we loved: create beautiful objects, made with care using local knowledge and talented artisans.
And so the ValierVenetia brand was born, and in its wake, the Valier tote. It was a vague notion at first, more of a dream than an object. Then, little by little, things began to take shape and the idea became an object with clear outlines and distinctive features.
In the end, we created a practical, sober, elegant and authentic tote bag.
In the beginning, we knew exactly what not to do. We did not want our tote bag to be trendy, showy or disrespectful of nature, pretentious nor dismissive of the past and the local area. We did not want to cover it with studs and metal buckles that conceal a lack of content. That we did not want.
We soon understood that by faithfully following our nature, we would be able to create the tote bag that was missing: practical, sober, elegant and authentic, suitable for men and women who work, while at the same time live each day with its different tasks and rhythms. Men and women who appreciate beauty and care about what they wear. It was a long, sometimes challenging process, but one which is always interesting.
We started by looking for highly skilled artisans. Then we designed the bag, created the prototype, found the leather suited to its shape and use, defined the best lining, added all the elements necessary to make it a beautiful and practical tote bag.
In the end, when it was finished, we gave some samples as a gift to some friends so they could try it and tell us about its strengths and weaknesses.
After making all the necessary improvements, it took the form you see now, the tote bag our customers instantly fell in love with.