Credit: Roger Vivier
How is metal woven? Roger Vivier answers this question with its new Mini Jewel bag, a masterpiece in brass worked with a rattan effect. To discover the details of this creation, we interviewed Francesca Landi of MBA F.lli Landi, who works with metals both manually and with technological machinery.
It starts with the creation of the metal strips: some smooth, obtained by laser cutting; others striped, made with the photo-engraving technique, a process that allows for engraving very detailed drawings, texts or textures on metal surfaces, thanks to a combination of photo-resists and acids. From here comes the weaving that gives shape to the quadrants, or the panels that will make up the bag. This step is performed by hand on the flat surface and will be essential for the success of the subsequent phases.
Once completed, the quadrants are folded with the help of folders and welded onto a frame, thus defining the silhouette of the bag. The processes continue with the use of numerically controlled milling machines, also known as CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines. These are automated machine tools designed to cut, dig, engrave or shape metal. In this way, the external profile can be modeled with extreme accuracy. The surface is then polished — that is, smoothed and polished — before being subjected to the galvanic bath, which gives the bag its elegant golden effect.
Finally, the parts are assembled, namely the flap, the buckle, the shoulder strap and the handle. The workmanship of the handle is particularly refined, made with three different types of chains — “rat tail”, with dots and with rhinestones — mounted and welded on a tubular structure.
In this way, the Mini Jewel demonstrates how metals can be worked with extreme finesse, transforming from a technical material to a decorative element, without losing structural functionality. An effective synthesis of know-how, artisan sensitivity and stylistic vision.
