One stitch at a time.....AURA QUE leather production

So the AURA QUE A/W 2011 production is quietly moving forward....with all the components ready and delivered, all the producers are working really hard in the factory to get the leather bags ready by end of July! We are doing the production in batches, and it is getting there!

From top left, going clockwise: Man Bahadur folding straps, Bhim attaching the banana yarn wool panels, Surya folding tabs, and Shyam cutting d-ring tabs straight.

Left: Kumar checking a detail on our Shopper bag with Shanti

Right: Ram making the hobo bag using the foot powered sewing machine (despite the loadshedding schedule and power cuts!).

Left: The heavy cotton cut for the new Pocket Bag, ready for stitching.

RIght: Front pocket of the Small Handbag ready to be stitched to the body panel of the bag.

Left: Kumar working on the handle pattern for the Shopper Bag.

Right: Shanti stitching parts of the Pocket Bag together.

 

We are getting there on schedule!!

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All pieces hand-knitted for the bags....ready for leather production!

Finally our AURA QUE hand-knitted panels for the handbag range are now completed!  The women have all brought in the pieces that they have knitted at home over the last few weeks.  All the pieces had to be checked compared to the pattern size, with each piece inspected and cleaned up before I collected them all to take to the leather factory.

Checking all hand-knitted pieces once they have been completed.

The picture above shows the hub of Kumbeshwar hand-knitting department.  Laxmi Shoba heads up the production unit, coordinating all knitters and yarn supply.

Sanita Khadgi discussing with me about the new knitted purses for the AURA QUE Autumn/Wiinter collection, before they go into production this week - thats the next job!

 

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AURA QUE SALE - on past seasons' stock!

Check out our online boutique for summer sale prices on our bags and accessories from our archive....leather/knit bags for under £100, plus other great online bargains!

And for all our social media followers, here is an extra discount code - type in 'SUMMER2011' at the online check out to receive a further 10% off!

Happy Summer!!

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The Opening of Shirley Bredal Boutique, with AURA QUE bags available to order in Kathmandu!

Shirley Bredal designs and makes beautiful hand-knitted and cotton embroidered childrenswear, currently sold across Scandinavia.  She works with many women's knitting groups around Kathmandu to produce her designs, and has a similar ethical policy to mine at AURA QUE.

After much work and preparation, Shirley's first boutique has now opened in Kathmandu, selling all her children's clothes and accessories locally.  The store, though small, looks absolutely beautiful, Shirley has such an eye for interiors and for detail....

In the corner of the store, there are AURA QUE leather bags on display as well as NAZ jewellery by Russian designer Masha Navarova.  I am really pleased to have our AURA QUE bags displayed there, its a great boutique to be part of, and hopefully we can see what interest there might be in the market locally! It is worth a try!

The opening on Saturday went really well, with many people, both nepalese and ex-pats, turning up to check out the store and join the garden tea party, munching the fab mini cookies, doughnuts and cupcakes that Shirley had prepared - thanks to everyone who showed up! The store is now open!!

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An old school lunch swap!

So with the leather production for Autumn/Winter 2011 in full swing, I am spending more time mainly at one of the leather factories that supports the Nepal Leprosy Trust.  Yesterday, I was going to work through the lunch break to get some things done, but Shanti and Man Bahadur insisted on me sharing the chapati/roti that Shanti had made and the boiled potato curry that Man Bahadur had brought from home.  Definately hit the spot!!  Glad I was able to return the favour by bringing out 3 fresh mangoes (in season and YUMMY) that I had got from a fruit vendor on the street.  Desert and all!

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The rickshaw adventure to find metal fittings in Delhi

I just got back from a weekend in Delhi - It was great to have a break from Kathmandu, and I had such a good time catching up with Kirat, a university friend from London College of Fashion. While I was there, I also went on an adventure to find some trigger hooks for the A/W production. I have real problems sourcing quality metal fittings with mechanical parts in Nepal - such as the trigger hooks with the spring catch for our detachable shoulder straps on the leather handbags - they are not made in Nepal and have to be imported from China or India.  So I thought that whilst I was in Delhi, I would go directly to wholesalers and see if I could source some myself.  Having found out about this one bazaar in North Delhi that may be useful, armed with my samples, Kirat and I set off in a cycle rickshaw to the market.

There is NO way I would have found anything in this market on my own, it was massive and a maze of back alleys and crowded with people/cows/dogs - I was sooo lucky to have Kirat battling through all the misdirections and haggles in Hindi for me!  Finally we found the area of the wholesale bazaar that had metal fittings and all kinds of accessories for bags and footwear - it was amazing....full of all these random shops and carts with all the fittings you would ever need!

Down one narrow alley (which didnt stop motorbikes, carts or cows from passing through!) we found the tiniest shop that was filled to the brim with fittings, all the way to the tin roof top.  The owners were really helpful and I found the antique brass trigger hook i wanted and arranged road frieght etc - We rewarded ourselves with Kingfisher beer and some tasty Indian grub....nice one!

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