Vegetable Tanning: On discovering that most tanneries had shifted to the faster and cheaper process of chemical tanning, Hidesign revived the almost forgotten technique of vegetable tanning. Learning from the centuries old skills, using natural seeds and barks native to South India, Hidesign has created fashionable leathers that age exceptionally well. Today it is a leader in the research and use of vegetable tanned leathers across the globe.
Marca Punto: The dying art of Marca Punto, where every stitch is embossed by a heated metal foot has been brought back by Hidesign. Known as a heritage craft exclusive to Florence, we studied it 30 years ago in Santa Croce, Italy. It has since been abandoned in Italy as ‘too time consuming’ but we believe that the greatest beauty is often slow, stitch by Marca Punto stitch.
Design Team: “There is great beauty in simplicity” modest advice from The Mother at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry that influenced Dilip Kapur all his childhood. It is still the basic design philosophy that drives Hidesign, with both Alberto Ciaschini in Milan and Fabian Lintott in London sharing the same belief.
Hidesign’s multi-cultural aesthetic is also reflected in our design team. Fabian Lintott with his edgy style and British functionality designs our men’s range, Alberto Ciaschini with his experience at Giorgio Armani, Trussardi & Hugo Boss make him a fantastic designer for women’s fashion and luxury. In India, Dilip Kapur’s simple, often androgynous sense makes for excellent men’s and women’s collections.
Hand-Painting: Hidesign’s leathers are intrinsically beautiful; fortunately we don’t need to hide them under layers of paint. Our leathers are lightly coloured, often by hand, to ensure that the natural character of the leather is visible.
Every year, we also release a line of limited edition bags that are individually painted by illustrator and artist, Amrita Nambiar. Inspired by the beauty of nature, the melody of the sea or the infinite possibilities of magic and fantasy, each bag illustrates a captivating story.