Splashes of Colour, Extravagance or Seriousness
Belts have always meant a lot to me and I have spent much time on developing this part of my collection. Trousers, skirts and dresses seem incomplete without one. They can give your outfit that special touch. Without having to be a style guru, a belt can bring a splash of colour, elegance, a dash of extravagance, or project a classic seriousness to an otherwise ordinary outfit.
My belts are manually cut in my workshop where they are hand dyed*, polished and stitched in a very labour intensive way. Made from the finest Spanish vegetable tanned leather in a variety of thicknesses depending on the characteristics of the project.
There is a limited availability of belts in exotic skins such as crocodile, python and ostrich. The production is severely limited as there are serious questions about the sustainability of these products and their impact on the animals involved.
* hand dying, apart from being better for the environment by avoiding unnecessary water contamination, gives a depth obtained from the irregular concentrations of colour that can never be replicated by an industrial scale dying. Think of the difference between the blue richness of the sea on a sunny day compared to a blue painted wall.
Sizing Guide
Women
1 cm to 2.5 cm wide tend to be worn mostly by women over their dresses at waist or hip or with smart trousers, carefully coordinated with the clothes chosen adorning the outfit. Be suspicious if your boyfriend were to borrow one of these thin belts as most men consider these to be too feminine.
3 cm to 3.5 cm tend to be used as a multi-purpose belt for trousers and jeans. For those who only want to own one belt or the habitual jet-setter who travels light.
4 cm would be usually used on jeans or informal trousers with big loops such as baggy pants. If you don’t want to buy one steal it from you partner or brothers but be prepared for a fight.
4.5 cm to 5 cm is the largest size that will fit through the loops of jeans or other such trousers. For those that want to make a statement with a big belt and the big buckle. 5 cm belts also look good over a longer white shirt at the waist.
6 cm and over would be a type of corset belt to go over a shirt or dress at the waist. For a confident women who wants to stand out and make a statement.
MEN
1 cm to 2.5 cm wide tend to be viewed as too thin and therefore feminine for all but the most self confident boys.
3 cm is the classic suit trouser belt used with all smart trousers. Usually combined with thin elongated buckles for a sleek elegant look for those who value a smart sharp look. 3 cm can also be combined with more rustic buckles especially in brass for a more informal scruffy preppy look.
3.5 cm is the most versatile belt size that would be for all occasions. Thin enough to fit through the loops of suit trousers and wide enough to look ok on a pair of jeans. Good to pair with a versatile buckle which will allow you to use it for all occasions. For the minimalist who only owns one belt. Also a great travel belt for the travel light jet-setter.
4 cm is the classic winner for jeans, your weekend belt and best friend, worn in with its own patina, can cause heartache when it comes to finding an adequate replacement. This is the belt women don’t tend to buy and then steal from their partners, when they are off guard. So be wary when storing it in your wardrobe.
4.5 cm is a slightly bigger belt for jeans. Looks good with solid chunky buckles especially ones with double prongs*. A good belt to buy, once you have enough 4 cm belts in your collection.
5 cm tends to be the widest belt found in men's wardrobes. Often seen with a big oval buckle western style but a large rustic vintage style buckle would also look very 'macho'. Recommended if your a drugs kingpin, very tall or just like to make a statement from time to time.
Women's Belts
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Men's Belts
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Some questions, some answers
Like so many artists or craftsmen my inspiration comes from nature, my life, the place I live, the people I meet and the trips I take.
Necessity is also a great driver to be creative. If I were not creative I would have to close my business. This is a powerful incentive to create and innovate.
As I make so many products with very different techniques, it is difficult to give an accurate guide to prices, but I will give you a few guidelines so that you can get a rough idea.
Belts would start around 120 euros for classic simple models and could go over a 1000 euros for the more fancy labour intensive designs. Small bags and clutches would probably start around 300 euros and could go to around a 1000 depending on the type of leather and labour intensity. Bigger bags would be made to measure only and tend to cost around 2000 euros or more. Sandals are only made to measure and start at around 300 euros.
