They say that one brand DOTTI BAG costs about 40 thousand dollars. It is also known that every bag invented by the siren of security passes through the manufacturing process, consisting of 150 manual operations, before going to the shops of the prestigious boutiques. TODAY, THE BAGS THINKED AND REALIZED BY LIFE BY THE ITALIAN DESIGNER OF THE LILACY DOTTY, YOU CAN BUY AT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE IN THE BURJUMAN SHOPPING CENTER. ABOUT THEIR CREATIVITY AND THE INSPIRATION BELOWING THEM, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE SIREN.
Siren, please tell me why your bags are considered to be almost the most expensive in the world?
All Dotti products are unique. People who choose my bags are well aware of this. It is enough to look at the leather and other materials from which they are made, pay attention to the fittings and finish, it becomes clear why the prices for my bags are quite high, but each owner can be sure that she owns a piece model.
Siren, who are your main customers? Hollywood stars? Wives of millionaires?
Probably both those and others, and also those who are interested in discovering something new. My clients are those women who already have quite a lot of different bags - big and small, branded and not. I offer them something that they will not find anywhere else. For example, my new Metamarfosa collection is small, tight handbags with a metal clasp on top that are more suitable for the evening version in size and which can be “changed” an infinite number of times, depending on the circumstances. What's the secret? The fact is that on a metal strap with a clasp there are two pairs of special holders: for handles and for the new "clothes" of the bag. So these very "clothes" or, more simply, the new front surfaces of bags with special loops that are worn on the holders, I came up with a great many. Today there are more than three hundred. The same story with handles for bags. They can also be constantly changed and combined with what your handbag is “dressed” today. All interchangeable parts are made of completely different materials - leather, suede, textile, and in various colors. They are also decorated in different ways: here, and rhinestones, and seashells, and beads, and "golden dust", and natural pearls. In general, anything. And a woman who has bought herself one “base” bag from the “Metamorphoses” collection can acquire more and more new additions to it, depending on her wardrobe. Can you imagine how interesting this is?
And how did you come up with the idea of creating transformer bags?
When I was little, I really liked to watch my grandmother, who always sewed, knitted, and updated something in the house. She remade many old things beyond recognition, just adding to them some decorative elements - flowers, buttons, beads. Nearby, as you know, I played, changing my favorite dolls several times a day. I don’t know, probably, those grandmother’s “lessons” of needlework and my children’s games were later embodied in my idea of “dressing up” bags. Think, it’s very convenient. You do not need to buy 10 - 20 bags of different colors for different occasions, but you can just give your bag a new life every time. The undoubted convenience of removable handles and front surfaces is also that they are flat, so you can simply put them on the bottom of the suitcase during travel and be sure that each of the dresses or suits in the same baggage has a separate suitable bag.
Siren, Metamorphoses is not your only collection. What else unusual do you offer your customers?
The Dotti brand is still very young compared to the “sharks” of the fashion business such as Hermes or Louis Vuitton. But I can say with confidence that even if we offer bags that go hand in hand with the main fashion trends of the world, such as classic business bags, super-huge trunks or evening reticules, they are distinguished by their perfection of execution and perfect quality. If, when buying a bag, have you ever paid attention to such trifles as processing leather slices, then you probably noticed that often designers do not interfere with the selection of some unusual colors and cover the edges of handles and other slices with special black or brown paint (in case with dark bags) or white (if the bags are light) colors. Dotti takes a completely different approach. If the bags are pale blue, then the slices will be processed tone-on-tone.
The second difference is the quality of the skin and all the other materials we work with. I select the leather and accessories for future Dotti products myself, in accordance with what I originally intended. That is, if I decided that this bag will be sewn from crocodile leather with diamond processing and gold dusting - it will be so. No compromises. Otherwise, you end up with anything you want, just not a Dotti bag.
I believe that this is the secret of the popularity of your bags?
I think not only. Probably, many are also attracted by the fact that all our products are made by hand. To sew one bag, the master needs to do more than 100 operations. Therefore, talking about mass production is not necessary. The Dotti business is a family business, a small factory. But people who perfectly understand that Italian quality is really Italian quality will stand in line to buy a beautiful and fashionable Dotti bag. Do not forget that the phrase "manual work" affects almost everyone magnetically. This is a sign of the highest quality and exclusivity.
So, a Dotti bag can really cost about 40 thousand dollars?
Maybe it’s worth (laughs). Not all bags, of course. There are piece pieces with exclusive precious stones and metals, they are very expensive. But there are those that you can purchase today for yourself. Since the end of February 2008, Dotti collections have been exclusively presented at the Saks Fifth Avenue fashion gallery at BurJuman Shopping Center. I, as a designer, cannot but rejoice. I perfectly understand that Dubai today is one of the recognized centers of world shopping, and I will be very pleased if your acquaintance with the Dotti brand takes place here. I think that the Russian customers who read your magazine will like my collections. Thanks, Siren. I’m going to get acquainted with the collection and wish you good luck.
Interviewed: Elena Olkhovskaya
