Marina Raphael Handbags
The Swiss-Austrian origin designer, Marina Raphael designs luxury handbags that she trusts to be made by experienced craftsmen in Florence and adds touches of sparkle, inspired by the Swarovski family business.
"Luxury handbags, that combine practicality with unpretentious aesthetics"
BYO: A few words about the brand!
MARINA: It is a luxury handbag brand that addresses a modern character that carves its own path regardless of trends and is distinguished by an air of brilliance and confidence that remains unchanged over time. Our bags are made from the highest quality materials that are always produced and processed with the most sustainable methods. We have entrusted the construction to experienced craftsmen and local workshops in Florence that keep alive the tradition of leather processing. This achieves the result of a modern and classic accessory that combines a basically unpretentious and discreet aesthetic with the practicality it needs in a bag.
BYO: How did you decide to create the brand?
MARINA: The Marina Raphael brand is something I did not plan to do from the beginning but now, looking back, I consider it to be one of the best decisions I have made. I always wanted to do something creative but also something that would give me a dose of adrenaline. My first occupation was organizing events. Trying to start a company and overcome any obstacles along with the opportunity to design your own pieces accompanying them throughout the journey of their implementation, from sketch to packaging, is an adventure that I feel very lucky to experience every day. Another aspect that attracted me to the creation of my own luxury handbag brand, apart from my love for fashion, is the prestige of a classic creation that can stand the test of time and consequently the ability to strengthen in this way and stimulate every woman by complementing her look.
BYO: How would you describe the style of your creations?
MARINA: It is an amalgam of modern and classic. They are, for the most part, simpler and more practical designs with touches of sparkle and imagination, such as the addition of crystals I use to honor my Swiss-Austrian origin and the inspiration I draw from the Swarovski family business. The key ingredient to achieving this is the quality that we work hard to ensure mainly through our collaboration with experienced and skilled craftsmen from Florence.
BYO: Is there another designer you have as a role model or who has influenced you?
MARINA: Of course, there are many designers that I always watched as they constantly inspired and rekindled my love for fashion. I also draw great inspiration from colleagues with whom I have the honor to work with such as Evangelie Smyrniotaki. I am completely captivated by each of her new projects. Other people in the field of fashion that I have had the opportunity to work with, such as Giovanna Engelbert, are also a source of inspiration. Her inexhaustible vision, as well as her lively and at the same time elegant sense of style, is something that always fills me with joy and puts me in the mood to create something new. I definitely feel a connection between us while at the same time I see a unique and original approach with which we all leave our mark.
BYO: Who is your audience?
MARINA: Evangelie and Giovanna are quite unique and original personalities in the field of fashion. I think we are all distinguished by the dedication we have in our work and the commitment to be honest and authentic.
Our audience is quite wide. I think all three of us address people who know themselves and dare to express themselves and be liberated through their style and aesthetics.
BYO: What do you think the Greek public wants from a new (young) brand?
MARINA: I think that in order to establish yourself in any market full of competition and many international and recognized names, you must be able to listen to the changes of the times and the new needs that arise. You always need a balance between a pioneer and a unique aesthetic and good, reliable quality. Beyond that, in terms of the changes I mentioned before, there is a duty of us all to the planet as well as to all the human issues that have value is now clear. The need for attention and recognition of responsibilities is not new but it now plays the role it deserves and I think that people rightly expect in practice a corresponding commitment. All the efforts we make to ensure the viability of the brand are very important to me, knowing of course that it is a goal that will always require work and dedication from all of us.
BYO: Following the previous question: the brand may be young in age, but at the same time it has a classic style. Are these two combined?
MARINA: The classic is, in a way, always modern as long as it is timeless. I think the reason a style manages to be considered a classic is because it properly combines the practical with the aesthetic. And this balance can be a goal for any brand, no matter how new it is.
BYO: What has your audience loved about the brand, what has made you stand out?
MARINA: The reactions I have received during the two years we have been in the market have shown that people like our approach to the smallest bags. It lies in occasions such as going out with friends to which a luxury bag and a statement piece fit, but it only fits the essentials.
BYO: In what other countries can your brand find a response?
MARINA: In general, we target the global market and have managed to work with stores around the world such as Harrods, UK, Moda Operandi, USA, LuisaViaRoma, Italy, The Ritz, France, etc. We continue to expand our horizons with various partnerships, among others, with Swarovski for which I look forward to sharing more.
BYO: What do we expect from the brand in the new season?
MARINA: The new season focuses more on smaller sizes that have found the most acceptance from our customers. Our goal for this collection is to explore a new version of summer mood with variations of materials with which we have a familiarity, such as canvas, leather, and raffia, as well as new additions such as printed leather or denim.
BYO: Where is your new campaign based?
MARINA: The basis is the allegorical connection of materials used by the nomadic spirit of summer vacation now missing in all of us and for what we all feel nostalgic.
BYO: Where can we find you?
MARINA: On our website, www.marinaraphael.com and our instagram @marinaraphaelofficial as well as various physical and online stores around the world such as The Conservatory, Love the Look, Moda Operandi, LuisaViaRoma, Fashionkind.
