Crafty Couture

Silk scarf, leather journal and enamel bracelet by Hermes of Paris

Monogram Vernis bag by Louis Vuitton

I feel lucky to own a modest few pieces of high fashion and to have attended a few events that showcased the craftsmanship involved in creating them.

Last November Louis Vuitton threw a party at Saks Fifth Avenue to showcase their personalization services by featuring artisans painting, hand stamping and monogramming right at the event.  I love this bag from the limited-edition Takashi Murakami collection.

And there's a cute display at their 5th Ave store now for spring.

In February of this year, Hermes of Paris opened its first Men's Boutique on Madison Avenue and the event was attended by Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, Katie Holmes and Martha Stewart.  I'm not usually an orange person, but the Hermes shades are very special.

I got to meet Eddie who does tailoring and watch him work on the fine fabrics for a little while.  

I also took a peek at his sewing area -- I would be so nervous sewing Hermes silk!

And last week, Gucci brought its Artisan Corner event to NYC where craftsmen from Italy set up a workshop to show their hand stitching, stamping and embossing skills.

They had a pretty cool sewing machine.

And it was a great weekend for craft fairs, which I'll write about soon.
Hope it's sunny where you are :-) Happy May!