FOOD FOR THOUGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES
KIMIAS "Oleó" Leather - Why We Made Our Own Leather
Behind the Scenes - Fifteen months of testing and ultimately developing our own oil wax "Oleó" leather in partnership with an LWG Gold certified tannery. OLEÓ leather. From the Latin root for oil — oleo — the same root that gives us olive, that g...
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES
Building House of KIMIAS: Part 6 - Leather Engineering
Leather isn’t something you use—it’s something you negotiate with as a character with predisposed instincts, desires and resistances of its own. After visiting over 400 leather showrooms and tanneries across Italy and the Republic of China, I le...
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES
Building House of KIMIAS: Part 5 - The Problem Beneath the Surface
The journey of launching KIMIAS’ first luxury handbag collection hasn’t been simple. After discovering that 80% of our production leather delivery was unusable, I'm traveling back to Guangzhou to resolve production issues and personally inspect ne...
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES
Building House of KIMIAS: Part 4 - Why I chose Guangzhou over Florence, Ubrique, Portugal and Istanbul.
Creating a Leather bag isn’t just about the design or leather—it’s about finding someone, somewhere, who can bring your vision to life. Execution is everything. I searched everywhere: drove across Italy from Rome to Marche to Florence to Milan, t...
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES
Building House of KIMIAS: Part 3 - Production Challenges as a First Time Producer
Creating a brand is more than just crafting products—it’s about building stories, relationships, and memories that reflect the heart of the vision. Our latest chapter took us on a whirlwind journey across Italy, weaving through picturesque landsc...
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES
Building House of KIMIAS: Part 2 - Julie / DJILI - Lake Como Production Shoot
Driving around the winding roads of Lake Como wasn’t just a day of work—it was a reflection of the values that guide everything we’re building. Each stop, each frame, and each decision felt purposeful, grounded in the desire to create something au...
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES
THE CAFFÉ CLUB: Food and Beverage Ethos
We prioritize organic, pesticide-free, non-GMO ingredients grown for flavor and nutrition, using conscious cooking methods that preserve their natural integrity and nutrients. With a seasonal, sustainable, small-batch approach and an emphasis on f...