Fair luxury bags from Berlin.

Ad | In 2015, while working for several luxury design houses, Malin Bernreuther had the idea to start her own fair luxury bags label. She followed this idea all the through, founding her brand Naditum in Berlin and three years later, in 2018 the first fair luxury bags came onto the market.

 

Malin, do your former design experiences influence the design of your fair luxury bags?

Yes, of course, I believe that all previous design training had an impact on my work. For the good and for the bad.

With every step I took, I gained some knowledge. Working for high-class fashion houses allowed me to get a better insight into the industry.

I was lucky to not only deepen my personal design skills but also to learn project management skills, which means every step of the design process from step one to the final product.

On the other side, frustration has always been a big drive in my life which made me reconsider things.

Unfortunately, I also noticed during my former design experiences how little attention is often paid to how things are produced and where the materials come from.

Very often so-called luxurious products don´t fulfill my personal standards towards what I consider to be a true luxury.

 

 

In my last interview slow fashion was a central topic. What does it mean for you and your handbag brand?

Slow fashion is about making conscious choices. Slow fashion means respect for me. Respect towards the environment, the makers of the products and as well the product itself.

I aim to design products which won´t be out of fashion after one season. The idea behind Naditum is to develop a portfolio of essentials which is growing steadily.

Naditum products are created to be companions for a long time. The leather is very durable and will age with beauty. It is open-pored and daily use will leave marks on the surface. This way, every product will tell its own story over the years.

 

 

What does the Naditum woman look like?

I don´t have a specific type of women in mind when I design. It´s more about how I would like them to feel when they wear one of my products.

I started Naditum with two different series, both carry the name of Babylonian goddesses. For example, Ishtar is the ancient goddess of war and female sexuality.

When you think about women nowadays, they are still rarely associated with aggression and lust. I don´t want to say that the Naditum woman should be aggressive or very sexual.

What I would like to underline is their personal freedom and to be able to choose what they want to be and how they want to be. It´s about being courageous.

 

 

What makes your bags fair luxury bags?

Naditum bags are transparent products. When you check the items on the website, you can find out where all components are made and from which materials.

 

 

For example, I source the leather from a traditional Italian tannery in Tuscany which is specialized in vegetable tanning. Vegetable tanning itself is the celebration of slowness.

The hides need around 40 days in wooden barrels until they are ready to be processed. Just to drop a comparison here: chrome-tanning needs around 4 days.

The bags themselves are produced in very small numbers at a family business – which is run by a woman! – in northern Portugal. This is a region famous for its leather craft.

 

 

So, to come back to your question, fair: because you can follow up the entire sourcing and manufacturing chain in Europe and luxury: because a high-class design is combined with excellent leather and technical know-how.

 

 

Where are your fair luxury bags available?

All products are available through the online shop at the website. Furthermore, Naditum just got listed at The Wearness online store and there are three retailers in Stuttgart, Berlin, and Munich which sell the collection.

 

 

More information about Naditum’s fair luxury bags you can find on Instagram.

 

© Pictures by Stella Schwender

 

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