ROBUST bag and leather accessories capsule collection
Our limited-edition ROBUST line is an exclusive capsule collection of hand-crafted leather bags made in Budapest!
Designed by Linda Gergely, the bags are made with impeccable attention to detail from a unique leather that's both robust and ever-transforming. Linda is a Hungarian leather craftswoman, whose knowledge and expertise are continuously put to test with intricately detailed and character-driven leather pieces for international films such as Dune 1-2, Borderlands, Saint Seiva, The Last Kingdom or the Barbarians. With 8 years of studies and 13 years of work experience in the graphic design, design and leather craft fields, Linda's passion for creation led to a deep understanding of materials, structure and the practical application of artful details.
In our interview with Linda, we discuss how she ended up working with leather, the challenges of her craft and her collaboration with ZSIGMOND.
What made you work with leather?
Hmm, that was actually because of a nice alignment (mutual sympathy). I studied graphic design and got my degree in visual communication, after which I spent several years pushing pixels around (in the digital world) when I started having this strange feeling of emptiness. I was missing the material, a tangible product, I was longing for creating by hand once more. It was around this time that I was introduced to Larisza Pasztircsák, who’s one of the founders of Mrs Herskin. I was searching for my place and they invited me over to them. I visited Larisza’s workshop on Rumbach Sebestyén Street, and when I stepped inside, I was instantly seduced by the scent of leather. From then on, it was no longer a question, I went on to learn the craft of leather.
When it comes to your craft, what do you like most about it and what are the biggest challenges?
I like the surprising nature of leather, its curing process (its surprises), flaws, the imagined stories of the natural texture, its “pains” and how I can communicate through this medium. The nicest part is the dreaming-ideating-planning and the biggest challenge is to comply with the production process, cost-effectiveness, etc. If I could have my way, I would put everything into a bag collection. Stopping is always the most difficult part.
Where did the idea of the collaboration with Dora came from?
I followed Dora’s work from the beginning, our worlds align in many ways and I respect her attitude to work. We found each other, we understand each other.
Tell us about your choice of leather in the collection!
I was looking for leather with strong character and appearance, that had a more daring texture. I was visiting leather manufacturers and I very much liked the other side of this leather with all its flaws and defects, its beautiful greyish matt “shine” that had a similar effect to coal covered in the early morning mist. I collected several other leather samples but Dora and I, we both voted for this one. Someone even asked if they understood it correctly that the “pretty” side was indeed used on the inside. But each to their own, perhaps we’re just wired differently. The aesthetics of flaws have long fascinated me, my diploma work in 2011 was also built around this topic, which was a book about the defects of analogue and digital pictures (Image Defect Basics – 250 pages). Luckily for us, the square meter number of the leather is printed in gold on the back of the leather, so we could use it as an embellishment. The tone of this leather deepens over the years, it becomes softer, moulding itself to its wearer.
See the limited-edition bag and leather accessories collection here: ROBUST
