Olympia Le-Tan Bags

It would be easy to keep our distance from the socialite Olympia Le-Tan's work, so much is her image mixed with the idea of a certain Parisian underground snobbism bordering on caricature. DJ, recurring figure in Olivier Zahm's blog, (graffiti artist) André's accomplice and one of the night crowd usuals, the daughter of the (French author Patrick) Modiano fetish illustrator, could easily be taken for an umpteenth pseudo hype epiphenomenon... if her creations did not equal their weight in poetry, that is.

From Schiaparelli, Olympia Le-Tan takes her sense of reinterpretation; from the embroiderers of yesterday, their dexterity; and from her father, Pierre Le-Tan, her literary universe; all of this she offers to the world of chic leather goods to make a deliciously surrealist recreation. For the student in love with literature and passionate about fashion, she offers veritable trompe-l'oeil accessories. These pieces, conceived by (Balmain) Gilles Dufour's former collaborator, prove to be more innovative than the majority of the season's "it" bags.

It must be said that by deciding to take inspiration from the original covers of several iconic books in order to adorn elegant, softly retro minaudières and bags, she was destined to attract attention. In a time when fashion trinkets are often sterile, too similar and sans soul, it is particularly pleasant to hold an accessory that has passed through the skilled hands of a couturier.

Globalization, by eating away little by little at local craftsmen, is pushing us to give in to authentic products (all the more so if they wear a tag that says, "Fait a Paris avec Amour" ("Made in Paris with Love")). If the latest version of the iPhone satisfies the majority of our expectations, it also renders us addicts - or at least sensitive - to works necessitating patience, diligence and dexterity.

The only negative point about this creation (which has already won over the inner circles, as seen here and here) is that when at the temple of hype, the handmade item becomes increasingly inaccessible. In fact, one should be ready to spend more than 1000 euros for a simple minaudière.