1 Atelier's unique handbags
NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - There is only one you so there should only be one of your bag. That's the philosophy at 1 Atelier, a new luxury brand here in New York.
Women can create their own bespoke handbags on their laptops in their very own homes, or pop into their atelier in the Garment District to work one on one with a master craftsman.
Frank Zambrelli and Stephanie Sarka formed the brand with Anthony Luciano, known as one of the last great custom handbag creators in the country.
Luciano calls their work a lost art and a beautiful thing, and says with the 1 Atelier platform, people can see what it takes to make beautiful luxury products.
Their combined experience in luxury goods helped the trio raise over $1.5 million in funding, and access the fine materials they needed to launch a more personal, less inflated luxury experience.
Not only is 1 Atelier direct to consumer, but Zambrelli says, they're only acquiring materials as they need them. So they have a sustainable business model which allows them to keep the prices where they should be.
A python hobo from 1 Atelier is $1,800 instead of $4,200 or $3,500. Not ready to spend thousands on a bag?
Saraka says that's one of the beauties of their website. You can literally create something for $295 all the way up to nearly $8500 for full crocodile.
Each bag is truly unique. With all of the 1 Atelier's styles, silhouettes, and materials, there are over 5 quadrillion possible handbag permutations.
Zambrelli says they see a lot less black than a luxury house typically sells and they have yet to repeat a single bag.
Customers can choose from 9 different styles on the website (backpacks are coming in November) seeing what their bag costs and looks like as they go along.
Every piece of every bag you customize is popped in like a puzzle, with actual photos not graphics.
Bags take, at most, 21 days to arrive. While you wait, 1 Atelier sends you a progress report with all the steps: as they pull the leathers, insert the zippers, and make the customized stamp that goes inside.
1 Atelier has an unconditional customer satisfaction guarantee. They'll work with you until you get it right.
They also have gift certificates if you want to buy a bag for someone else but don't know where to begin.