Style Edit: Delvaux’s long history of craftsmanship, from the celebrity-loved Brillant bag to the Savoirs & Savoir Faire autumn/winter 2024 collection presented at Paris Fashion Week

Mar 18 , 2024

Delvaux Caprice bags in various styles. Photos: Handout

Founded in Brussels in 1829, Delvaux is the world’s oldest leather goods maison (in fact, the house even predates the establishment of the Kingdom of Belgium). For almost 200 years, it has played a starring role in the history of luxury handbags, with its incomparable legacy of timeless design, exquisite leathers and the finest craftsmanship.

Delvaux autumn/winter 2024 Paris presentation during Paris Fashion Week

Now, for autumn/winter 2024, Delvaux is channelling all that history with its Savoirs & Savoir Faire collection, creating an immersive universe within a Parisian hôtel particulier, or mansion.

Since the beginning, Delvaux’s name has been synonymous with exceptional know-how and innovation. As far back as 1883, it was granted the title of “Official Supplier to the Royal Court of Belgium”, a role it still fulfils today.

Artisans demonstrate their skills at Delvaux autumn/winter 2024 Paris presentation during Paris Fashion Week

In 1908, the maison invented the modern-day handbag when it filed its first patents. By the 1930s, it was the first to create what we now refer to as “seasonal creations” by combining shapes and colours, much like couturiers did with their fashion collections.

Delvaux’s artistry is in its creations, many of which can have been carefully documented in the brand’s Livre d’Or, or Golden Book. Unsurprisingly, the maison boasts one of the largest handbag archives of more than 3,000 pieces.

Style Edit: Delvaux’s René Magritte-inspired collection, exclusive to Asia

Hand stitching, a key part of the Delvaux approach

Today, Delvaux employs more than 100 skilled artisans at its workshops in Belgium and France. Using hides from the finest French and Italian tanneries, they work with passion and precision to craft the finest handbags, ranging from contemporary classics to treasured heirlooms.

Delvaux’s Paris presentation featured artwork from the Van der Kelen school of artists

Highlights include the still iconic Brillant bag, which was created in 1958 to commemorate the World Expo being hosted in Brussels. Combining radical innovation with original, elegant design, it is crafted from 64 distinct leather pieces and features a D-shaped buckle as an understated logo.

What goes into making a Delvaux Brillant bag

Even today it is the house’s bestseller with celebrity fans including Rihanna and Lady Gaga. Also covetable is the enduring yet fashionable Tempête, which was designed in 1967 and inspired by a sailboat’s trapeze.

Delvaux’s Arsenal headquarters in Brussels

Delvaux’s more modern creations, showcased every season at Paris Fashion Week, continue to captivate audiences with their originality and exquisite craftsmanship. From the Cool Box and So Cool to the eye-catching Lingot with its sleek, elongated D-shaped buckle, every new design continues to push the envelope when it comes to style and quality.

Bringing the story bang up to date, the latest collection combines history and innovation in the autumn/winter 2024 presentation’s ultimate exhibit of a phalanx of 85 Caprice bags.

The perfect symbol of quiet luxury, the Caprice shows how Delvaux will continue to be must-haves for collectors and lovers of handcrafting around the globe.

Style Edit

Founded in Brussels in 1829, Delvaux is the world’s oldest leather goods maison – even predating the Kingdom of Belgium – and uses hides from French and Italian tanneries
The Tempête and Lingot bags are just 2 more of the designs in the brand’s Livre d’Or, or Golden Book, while the Caprice has pride of place at the brand’s autumn/winter 2024 presentation