Tag Detroit Style

Bespoke Leather: In Style Forever!

As we continue our first year launch of Beau Satchelle, we have had the privilege of being invited to attend private events or showings to display our current designs. We love the fact that what draws enthusiasts of leather to our products is first and foremost, the undeniable craftsmanship. Our expertly constructed leather products exude a rich elegance, that just can’t be found anywhere. Without fail, those being introduced to the world of premium leather will ultimately ask why our journey began with leather versus other textiles, as the foundation of our creations. As snobbish as this sounds, there is no other textile that can stand up to the beauty, scale and strength of what leather can do. Leather is extremely versatile and can take on many forms for styles. Besides, Leather is natural and a by-product that would be waste if there were no leather products and artisans to create leather goods and other leather luxuries. Depending on one’s preferred taste, leather can be developed into a raw, western look for a rural farmer or hunter; take on a more sleek and security-led function that a biker would prefer; perhaps have a more earthy, bohemian style for a hipster; or lastly, have a European flavor so artfully constructed that its home should be in a metropolitan museum. But no matter your choice, lovers of leather understand this about bespoke leather…it’s ability to stand the test of time. We believe this, for three reasons: 1. Bespoke Leather is Absolutely the Perfect Accessory Available with beautiful, sophisticated clean lines combined with classic or contemporary colors. Bespoke leather accessories are notoriously flexible, easily paired with a wide variety of casual and formal ensembles. What’s exciting about bespoke leather is that it is not only focused in the fashion arena, but can transform […]

Summer and Summer’s Hottest Must-Have Accessory – The Luxury Wine Bag

It’s summertime and the living is easy – which means barbecues, outings, hikes, camping, late nights around the fire, fine wine and a book on the deck, picnics and summer concerts. Summer is synonymous with shorter working days – spending more time out of the office and cashing in those vacation days. That can mean taking time off to spend balmy days with the people you love, whether it’s on the beach, taking a drive out to the country, taking a tour with a new flame in wine country, visiting a famous theme park where a very well-known mouse lives, or simply kicking back in a brand new hammock with a fine wine. Nights could involve going out salsa dancing, visiting the casino, barbecuing with friends, spending a night with a double feature and a big box of candy at the drive-in theatre. Whatever you decide to do with your free time, do remember to make memories to last a lifetime this summer. Life is too short to drink as wine out of plastic glasses and beer out of plastic cups, even when you’re out catching a performance by your favorite musicians at the local band shell on a hot Saturday night. In our experience, you should make the most out of every moment to maximize on the memories and to make every occasion as special as possible. One way to make things more memorable is by making the everyday more classy and uptown. Beau Satchelle makes a bespoke luxury wine bottle carrier, which features removable and changeable straps so that the bag can be carried either as a classy unisex messenger bag, or a backpack. The bag itself is crafted in Detroit, Michigan, from the finest, weather resistant, smooth brown leather that was tanned with waxes and oils and […]

Beau Satchelle’s, Growing Love Affair with Luxury Leather Perfection.

I love Beau Satchelle and perhaps there will soon be a blog for the owners of our bespoke leather products. Our heart and soul goes into the building of our beautiful bespoke Luxury leather products. We realize, currently, we are a minnow in a vast ocean of leather manufacturers and artisans. However, we aren’t fearful of the challenge (actually, energized) to keep growing and perfected our offerings until we can be heralded as a top contender in the world of bespoke luxury. So when a piece is written about a master in the business, it is to only bestow much respect to one of the finest of the leather and luxury fraternity. Hermés… just saying the name conjures up the word “indulgence”. Truth be told, I am a fan, not just because of the bag itself…but the amazing brand that has been carefully built around both the Kelly and the Birkin bags. In the month of April, the auction house, Privé Porter, who curates unused, coveted Hermés Birkin handbags, broke the record for the most expensive handbag ever sold for $298,000. The 2008 Birkin made in Rouge Braise Crocodile featured 10.08 carats of round brilliant cut diamonds and 171 grams of 18-carat white gold hardware. It is elegant and the craftsmanship is unparalleled. According to the Wall Street Journal, a few days later, the Birkin was delivered by Brinks armored air transport to a Los Angeles buyer’s representative, who describes his client as an American billionaire. As we say in Detroit… “That’s ballin”! So as we grow our bespoke leather start-up, we will constantly drive ourselves to never lose the focus and respect of the art of leather crafting. We are dedicated to our values and the culture that solely embrace our clients who invest in our bespoke luxury bags […]

Why Not Pledge To Slow Down And Learn To Enjoy The Simple Things Again?

Life is about simple pleasures – watching the sun rise, enjoying the summer breeze with a favorite glass of wine, conversation with good friends, writing with a good, flowing pen in a beautiful notebook. As life moves faster and faster, and people get busier, we lose some of these moments. Everything is about speed and efficiency. People want the latest toys, the latest technology and there literally is an app for everything. Why not pledge to slow down and learn to enjoy the simple things again? It’s important to stop and remember the enjoyable moments in life. If you’re a wine connoisseur, take the time to really taste it. Savor the flavors, and write down what you notice about it. Although there are many great apps for wine lovers to take notes, there’s something special about documenting your find in a beautiful, luxury leather journal. Beau Satchelle creates gorgeous, bespoke handcrafted luxury journals in lambskin and premium parchment paper. They make for a wonderful writing experience at the time that you are documenting your notes. The feeling of the pen flowing over the beautifully smooth parchment paper, the smell of the ink and the pages, and the feel of the cool leather and paper under your fingertips is truly a treat for all of your senses. And when the journal is complete, you have a wonderful, tangible record of your experiences. It’s a souvenir for the rest of your life – and for generations to come. It’s collectable, it’s sentimental, and it’s a memento that you can hold in your hands. As handy as technology is, you don’t – and we guarantee, won’t – get those same feelings from using an electronic journal, or an app. This is about taking the time to slow down and enjoy those same, tangible […]

Luxury Style In Detroit? Yes!

Today, news broke on our local stations that our city will be visited by the Commissioner of the Major League Soccer (MLS), to meet with two of our wealthiest Detroit ambassadors, Quicken Loans owner, Dan Gilbert and Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores in bringing a MLS franchise to downtown Detroit. From a diehard sports fan viewpoint, these are exciting times for our fair city. To be one of the few cities in the country that host a professional soccer team along with the Lions, Tigers and Red Wings (come back home Pistons!). With 4 professional teams in the heart of downtown Detroit, over half of the year, fans will be experiencing some type of professional sporting event on a daily basis. My point is that the announcement is more evidence of the revival of Detroit to be a contender with other metropolitan cities as younger and sophisticated adults flock to our city not only to work, live and play, but more importantly keep their dollars in the city that can offer a range of products and services from the inexpensive to the luxurious. City leaders, who work to bring tourists to our city are seeing an increasing uptick in conventions and out of town visitors. They rely on retailers, restaurants and other small businesses to provide a “Detroit” unique experience and offer products and services that reflect our amazing community. We are a city under constant construction, including renovations of buildings in downtown led by luxury hotel developers such as the Westin, Hilton, and Four Seasons. All three Detroit casinos, Motor City Casino, Greektown Casino and MGM Casino offer high end rooms as well as boutique shops to match. Entrepreneurs see Detroit as the new frontier as start-ups and tech companies have discovered our city as a viable alternative to […]

For Lovers Of Luxury Leather…it’s a way of life.

The look…sensual and rich. The feel..it begs to be touched. And definitely, the smell…awakens powerful memories and positive moods, connects to nature and no other scent can imitate that of leather. Leather is a lifestyle; whether it cushions your body in the seat of your automobile or brings warmth to the interior of your home through furniture or floors, frames for mirrors, valued historical books, or customized cigar or jewelry boxes. In fashion, leather’s versatility is everywhere. The range of fashion in outerwear and stylish clothing, protecting your hands from the winter elements in soft lambskin or kidskin gloves, fashioned into the finest bespoke shoes for the well dressed man, or enhancing a diva’s jewelry collection with select leather pieces. And of course Ladies, our favorite…handbags. Let’s be clear, not all leather was created equal. Inexpensive and less durable items are created from bonded leather which is essentially a process of shredding leather scraps and fiber, then mixing it with bonding materials that is then pressed together with a fiber or paper backer. This keeps consumers replacing their products after short periods of wear and tear. So let’s take a quick look at the different types of leather. Cow is the most common source for hides and it is processed in a few ways: Full Grain Leather which is made from the finest natural hides that have not been sanded or buffed to remove imperfections. Durable, does not wear out and over time develops a rich patina. The types of products made from this leather is high quality leather furniture, footwear and bespoke cases. Full grained calfskin handbags are made from the skins of young cattle and are prized for their smooth texture and fine quality. Top Grain leather is the most common type in high-end leather products. It is […]

Top Six Things That Luxury Buyers Need To Be Aware Of

You consider yourself to be fairly stylish and fashionable, and you have a love of luxury goods. We’re with you. There’s nothing like quality handcrafted goods in a world of mass production. Luxury goods are made to last with premium materials and quality craftsmanship, and they make you feel good to use them. Here’s our guide to investing in the best, most sophisticated goods that money can buy. 1. Consider where the product is made Let’s face it – luxury items are usually not mass produced in China or India. There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but they are usually made by smaller companies in areas of Europe, or North America. The reason for this is because luxury can’t be churned out. Luxury items are carefully made, with individuals in mind. Our luxury bespoke products are made in the U.S.A., for example, by people that you and I might know. 2. You should consider who is making your luxury goods You want to feel good when using your luxury goods, not guilty. You don’t want to be feeling like people weren’t paid a fair wage to create your product. After all, you don’t want your pleasure to be someone else’s misery. Do a little research, and make sure that people are paid a fair living wage to make your items. 3. Consider the materials used Luxury buyers should consider what materials are used to make the item. If you are purchasing a handbag, where is the leather sourced? Make sure it’s a reputable source, and that they are using premium materials. 4. Support small local shops and boutiques You may want to consider supporting smaller local shops and boutiques instead of shopping malls. When you buy at shopping malls and big chains, you are putting money into the […]

How Buying From A Small Luxury Company Can Make A Difference

When you buy something special to treat yourself or someone else, what are you looking for? Chances are, you don’t shop for that luxury item the way you would buy groceries or toiletries or cleaning products. No, when you look for something special, you want to take your time to choose something that speaks to you. You want to buy something that is one of a kind or at least not mass produced. You want to buy something that was made with care, and that you know will last. You want something that will stand the test of time. That’s why, when you buy something to treat yourself, you should consider a small luxury company. A small luxury company cares. Because they are a small company, they will make a special effort to produce something with love and care, and utmost attention to detail and quality craftsmanship. They want to make sure their customer is happy with the product or service, so that he or she will return in the future. A small company may not have the advertising budget that large companies have, so they rely on referrals and word of mouth. That’s another reason why they want to make the customer happy. A small luxury company is willing to work hard for your business. They will bend over backwards for you, and go out of their way to make sure your transaction was perfect. They will listen to your suggestions as a customer, and actually take them the boardroom for further discussion, rather than sweep them under the rug. A small luxury company will put time and effort into each piece to ensure that it is perfect. They won’t let a less than stellar piece slip out the door, because they know their reputation is on the line. […]

It’s Cold – Get Outside!

Brrr! It’s cold in North America this time of year, especially in Detroit, where we’re located. With Christmas and the holidays over, and with many weeks of winter left to come, it can get somewhat depressing this time of year. Most of us just want to turn up the thermostat, light a fire in the fireplace, and bundle up in our favorite woolly sweaters and drink a hot chocolate. But wait! It doesn’t have to be depressing this winter. Depending on where you are located, winter happens from a few months to half the year every year, so you might as well take advantage of it. And winter doesn’t have to mean a death sentence for your sense of style. In fact, many fashionistas have learned to embrace the cold and the snow and make their winter wear and winter activities part of their style. You don’t have to be especially outdoorsy or nature-oriented to enjoy this time of year. There are lots of things you can do to keep active this time of year. Read on for our favorites! Take to the trails or to the slopes Whether you prefer cross-country skiing or taking your adventures to great heights, skiing is a very popular activity in the winter. Head to Colorado, north to the Canadian Rockies or to Switzerland for some world-class skiing. Believe us, nothing screams luxury lifestyle like heading out for a day on the slopes and then sipping champagne or hot cocoa by the fire in your private ski lodge afterwards. Go somewhere warm Whether you head to Hawaii, the Caribbean or Los Angeles, a trip somewhere toasty warm is luxurious in the wintertime. Be sure to accessorize with warm-weather accessories, like a killer bathing suit, a bespoke luxury leather handbag from our current collection, and […]