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COMPASS MAGAZINE > October 2009
 

Stylish, practical leather handbags: Caltan Design, Handi-Art Leather Goods Studio, `e-a Handmade Sandals, Sob Deall

By Vincent Huang
Translated by Ann Lee

Caltan Design
Caltan has a good range of delicate designs that are most popular with female customers.

 

 

Caltan Design

Where can I buy them?
* (04) 3606-2546
Tiger City shopping center 3F
* (04) 2223-7458
Yizhong branch: 106, YiZhong St
* Fengjia branch: 558, FuXing Rd, 2F, outlet #235
(04) 2451-2109

Caltan Design is a company founded by two young businessmen, who offer a collection of cowskin and hand-sewn fashion accessory products. One of the entrepreneurs, Mr. Hsu Rong-hong, notes that his business partner, Lee Hui-hai, comes from a family experienced in the Indian leather goods business that has been exporting their merchandise and cowskin leather goods overseas for over 50 years. They also have 20-some years experience creating designs and products for a number of European and North American brands.
For that reason, Caltan Design pays special attention to the care and processing of the leather, and product sewing techniques are all personally supervised by the owners. Quality is something the two partners are very particular about. While Caltan has not spent that much on promoting its collection to customers over the years, its reputation for quality has already generated a good number of loyal customers.

Caltan also focuses on the quality of its handmade fabrics, and on making its products practical and functional for customers. Most of their handbag prices range from NT$3,000 to NT$5,000, and there are long and short wallets priced at under NT$2,000. You will also find a smaller-sized purses ideal for storing coins, as well as business card/credit card holders. Throughout the years, Caltan has created a good number of exquisite designs and collections that are especially popular with its female clientele. In addition, some of the merchandise is even more reasonably priced at under NT$1,000. Every 45 days, Caltan outlets display new items, so you can always expect to find stylish, trendy items at their stores.

Caltan Design Caltan Design
Right: Caltan handbags are all made from pure calfskin, giving them a polished look and soft texture.
Left: Caltan calfskin handbags have simple designs that go well with any outfit. They came in several colors--brown, red, black and green. Retail price: NT$3,980.

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Handi-Art Leather Goods Studio
Handi-Art's custom-made
service allows customers to
participate in the entire
process, as they choose the
style, design and fabric for
their products.

 

Handi-Art Leather Goods Studio

Where can I buy them?
(04) 2223-6003
20-1, YiZhong St

Handi-Art offers custom, handmade leather goods, allowing you to ask these professionals to design your own handbag, shoulder bag or wallet. Store owner Rita says, "Nowadays, consumers want to have their own say about the design of their bag; they are also filled with creative ideas and want a style of their own. A lot of customers will even bring in their personal electronic devices, like their MP3, cell phone or camera, and ask us to design a unique protective cover for them. What's more, you can bring in your CD case/box, photo frame and water bottles, and we can also create a unique-looking case for you. Due to the recent bicycle riding trend, a lot of people also bring in their bicycle parts for a custom-made look."

Handi-Art focuses on offering customers products with a special edge by using cowskin leather, and it hand-makes and hand-stitches everything to ensure the durability and practicality of its goods. The store can draw up a sketch of a design for you first, and will discuss this with you at the store. You can choose the leather according to the size of the item you want to customize. Standard custom-made handbag prices range from NT$5,000 to NT$8,000, with other accessories ranging from NT$800 to NT$2,500.

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`e-a Handmade Sandals

`e-a Handmade Sandals

 

`e-a Handmade Sandals

Where can I buy them?
(04) 2320-0130
Taichung branch: 27, DaLong Rd

The brand "`e-a" was first known as a maker of stylish handmade sandals. Due to popular demand, you can now also see shoes and handbags designed specifically for female consumers at the brand's outlets. `e-a has run its first Taichung branch store for 10 years now, and continues to establish other outlets all over Taiwan, including Taipei. Its collection is not only stylish but also well-liked by many Taiwanese celebrities.

Apart from hiring its own Taiwanese design team to come up with a collection every season, `e-a also works together with overseas designers to develop its newest handbag collections. You can find quite a large selection at its stores islandwide. Although these products are trendy-looking, prices are really affordable, with female handbags ranging from NT$3,900 to NT$6,900.

`e-a Handmade Sandals `e-a Handmade Sandals
Right: `e-a started out as a well-known brand for stylish, handmade sandals, but these days it also has a collection of women's handbags with various very trendy designs and styles that are adored by many female customers.

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Sob Deall
This classic collection is made
with authentic cowskin and
special prints. Retail price:
NT$9,500.


Sob Deall

Where can I buy them?
* (04) 2225-9976
Taichung flagship store: 40, YuCai N Rd
* Taichung Park Lane by CMP Shopping Center (B2F)
(04) 2328-1000, ext. 6170

Established in 2007, the trendy Taiwanese brand Sob Deall aims to sell simple yet fashionable items that are also environmentally-friendly to their customers. Sob Deall imports quality Italian leather (cow hide), and uses vegetable-tanned leather that doesn't hurt the overall environment. Its handbag collections are famous for using hand-colored patterns and oxygen-free copper, so that the colors will not fade as time goes by.

Sob Deall offers not only authentic cow leather handbags, but also a crocodile-patterned handbag. Recently, it also starting promoting a collection made from sheepskin, offering a different level of durability than cowskin. This also has a different type of feel/touch when compared to the cowskin, giving customers a good variety to choose from when making a purchase.

Sob DeallMade with authentic leather, this collections bags are unique with their hand-coloring and use pure copper in their design as well. Retail price: NT$11,800.

 

 

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