The fashion house named after Israeli designer Nili Lotan became a sensation among a glamorous clientele of who’s who, thanks to its elegant aesthetic and super-minimalist design signature. Lotan’s nonchalant line, launched as a brand in New York in 2003, tends to present timeless pieces in tight collections, combining elements that range between the American tone and the bohemianism of the sixties.
Now, 22 years after Nili Lotan has fully established herself in the international fashion industry – she is launching for the first time a bag line that will be part of her new collection, alongside the military jackets, slip dresses identified with her, and the iconic ‘Shon’ jeans.
This is a collection of 18 handbags, produced in Spain and Italy, created by experts in genuine Italian leather from a tannery committed to sustainable practices, including conserving energy and water. The leading model in the collection, the Lou model (NIS 9,900), is designed as a rectangular, semi-structured handbag with a top handle and an additional long detachable strap, without an external logo – except for an internal “made in” stamp imprinted inside each bag. All this, plus a hand-coated, custom-made front gold finish, developed exclusively for Lotan.
Well, the hidden logo is not the thing that knocked us off our chairs, since Lotan does not tend to boast her name in crazy logomania on every piece from her house. Still, something about the ongoing aspect of quiet luxury attached to her good name continues to heighten the desire of customers (and ours) to be part of the buyers’ crowd. “No logos,” Lotan declared in an interview with The New York Times when she was at her showroom in Tribeca, the neighborhood where she also lives with her husband, singer David Broza. “I mean, of course my name appears on them, but discreetly inside,” she explained.
“I have been testing the Lou bag for a year and this Parisian moment captures how much I enjoyed it,” wrote the designer in a post she shared on her business Instagram account, where she is seen holding the large black bag. “Classic, understated, effortlessly chic – the Lou black leather bag was my favorite all year. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next suede version,” we too, Nili, we too.
Also in the collection: Models made of both leather and suede, in shades of black, espresso, with crocodile-finish patterns, and even zebra print on a light camel-black palette. The less cheerful news: In Israel the bags have not yet landed, since the collection was only recently launched, at the end of August.
From a brand that built itself mainly by word of mouth as a magical, secret charm, to revenues that reached about 100 million dollars last year, Nili Lotan today holds seven independent stores – two in New York, four more in East Hampton, Connecticut, Palm Beach Florida, Los Angeles, and a men’s store in Tribeca. In addition, the brand is sold on various online fashion retail sites and in department stores in Europe, as it expands to Australia and Korea, and opens a showroom in Paris.