While the world of fashion operates at a frantic pace of collections (haute couture, ready-to-wear, cruise...), leading to a proliferation of accessory lines, a completely different philosophy has driven creation at Bandit Manchot for over 12 years.
For Anne, Marie-Christine, and Marie Laure, creating means first and foremost being in tune with the times, being attentive to the current world, understanding current expectations, and adjusting collections accordingly.
The brand presents 2 annual collections (Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter). These are divided between timeless accessory ranges, reinterpreted or revisited each year according to the exceptional upcycled leathers selected, and new items that respond to current crushes, ideas captured in the street, or simply their desires.
Creating a collection is a long process of observation, reflection, intuition, exchange, confrontation of ideas, but also digestion of trends, analysis of fashion shows, etc. At Bandit Manchot, there are two ways to approach creation. Either the desire for a specific model requires the search for an ad hoc leather, or it is the discovery of a hide with a particular texture or appearance that sparks the idea for a new model.
On one side, there's the material – those sumptuous leathers, iridescent colors, soft faded pastels, or gourmet bronzes so dear to the Bandit Manchot team... On the other, there's the idea of a shape, the desire for a particular drape on the shoulder, a hand-carry, the obsession with an overall look. The rational meets the irrational and kicks off a back-and-forth game between these 3 lovely ladies to outline a collection that includes about sixty distinct models, available in twenty color ranges, resulting in a significant number of different models. Because Bandit Manchot also guarantees mini-series, ensuring the near uniqueness of accessories...
The selection of upcycled hides takes place throughout the year, as discoveries are made and searches conducted in prestigious houses that guarantee the high quality of the leathers.
It is always the same work and the same philosophy that prevail when it comes to designing a new collection: the obsession to magnify the essential, the commitment to the beauty and sensuality of leather, the art of breaking free from the conventions of traditional leather goods to reinvent sober, pure, functional lines. To emancipate from the excessive to imagine simple, durable, timeless accessories.
Each of the designers has a specific role, even though every collection is the result of collective work, shared reflection, rigorous planning, and lengthy adjustments. The three associates divide their time between the Paris office and the Graulhet workshop. Anne orchestrates the sourcing and management of leathers, categorizes arrivals by color, and creates the palettes that will define upcoming collections. Marie-Christine, driven by intuitive creativity, a precise vision of the desired model, and extensive experience in construction, works directly on new prototypes from the material, bypassing the usual sketching phase. Marie-Laure, in charge of the workshop, has the challenging task of production. This involves, above all, the creation of prototypes and product samples with local artisans, which will then be presented to and given to the brand's agents in France and internationally. About six months will have passed between the beginnings of the new collection and the pride of seeing each creation leave the Tarn workshops for the four corners of Europe!
