The Game of Thrones star, Maisie Williams has collaborated with the French luxury brand, Coperni, to design Coperni’s new bag collection made from apple leather.
Using alternative leather materials has become a common practice in the fashion industry. Recently, PANGAIA introduced its own fruit fabrics and Lululemon launched its first mushroom leather capsule.
So Coperni’s Apple Swipe bags do not come as a surprise in a time when major fashion brands are leaning towards sustainability.
Before we get into the brand’s new apple leather bags, let’s talk about apple leather first.
What Exactly Is Apple Leather?
A bio-based material, Apple leather is made out of leftover peel and pomace from the compote industry. Apple pomace is high in cellulose which can be easily upcycled into fabrics for handbags, clothes, shoes, and other fashion accessories.
How Is Apple Leather Made?
Before apple leather can be used for fashion accessories, the apple waste from the compote industry is reduced to a powder form before it is processed using polyurethane and applied to a polyester/cotton canvas.
Why Should You Care About Alternative Leather?
According to PETA, manufacturing and use of animal leather is one of the most prominent causes of eutrophication, an ecological issue where waste from animal leather manufacturing creates an overgrowth of plants within the water. This results in suffocation of aquatic life leading to hypoxic or dead zones. In addition, factory farms are responsible for 70% of the water pollution in the United States alone, and animal agriculture in general is responsible for more carbon emissions than all of the transportation systems in the world.
When animal leather is responsible for so much, you have to think about choosing the right material.
What’s So Different About Coperni’s New Bag Collection?
Apple leather is a sustainable choice as it requires fewer fossil fuels during manufacturing than synthetic leather. But the choice of material is not the only thing that gives Coperni a competitive edge; Coperni’s Apple Swipe handbags feature a distinct design that makes them compact, easy-to-carry, and stylish for all age groups.
Coperni, co-founded by Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant, is a pioneering force behind imaginative fashion designs. In collaboration with Maisie Williams, the brand has created a chemical-free handbag range designed entirely from apple waste. The new collaboration is the beginning of the brand’s use of alternative leather materials for a more sustainability-driven fashion.
Coperni’s Apple Swipe handbags come in two distinct styles with a detachable crossbody strap: the Mini Crossbody Swipe Bag (available in Berry and Silver), and the crossbody Swipe Bag (available in silver and Forest green. Each handbag comes with 5 mini detachable fruit-label-inspired metal pins.
The design of the bag is inspired by the iPhone’s “swipe to unlock” feature and offers a U shape double zip along the handle. The bag has enough space for makeup, phone and anything that can fit inside the bag’s 5.5cm depth. The bag is 26cm in height and width. Upon close inspection, the surface seems to have a smooth texture with small circles that accentuate the overall design of the bag.
The Mini crossbody Swipe bag is priced at $650 while the crossbody Swipe bag is priced at $780.
The Collaboration
Maisie Williams hopes to encourage and inspire brands and people to invest in sustainable materials.
“Coperni and I have been quietly working on our collaboration for some time and I’m so proud and excited to finally share what we have created together,” the renowned actress said in a press release. She further added, “The bags are made from apple leather and I hope will inspire more people to both shops and produce with materials that contribute towards a more sustainable future.”
Coperni, on the other hand, appreciates the star power that Maisie has and seeks to use it for the betterment of the society.
According to the brand’s founders, Maisie has been a real inspiration for the collaboration. “From her personality to her various commitments, she is the voice of a generation. Actress, filmmaker, producer, environmentalist. She embodies the strong values of a diverse, innovative, and responsible future. It was extremely stimulating to co-create the sustainable and playful Coperni Apple Swipe Bags.”
The official release date for the Coperni’s new bag collection is November 22, but you can pre-order them on Coperni’s website to book your Swipe bag today to make sure you don’t miss it!