airy, ideal for warm and sunny weather. At the Première Vision Leather show, tanneries showcase their creativity brilli
13-15 SEPTEMBER 2016 INTERNATIONAL LEATHER AND FUR SPECIALIST SHOW
NEWSLETTER 3
SUMMER LEATHERS For a long time leather was restricted to the winter wardrobe but now this most animal of materials is making headway into summer collections. Perforated like lace, worked in woven strips of lamb leather, refined to the extreme, produced in a palette of bright colours, it has become light and airy, ideal for warm and sunny weather. At the Première Vision Leather show, tanneries showcase their creativity brilliance in bringing new life to hides. The fashion barometer is rising, things are hotting up!
Record-breaking thinness Technical wizardry and the wonders of tannery expertise mean that hides can became as fine and light as the most vaporous of fabrics and thus earn their place in the summer wardrobe. By delicately and progressively sanding the flesh side, the experts present at Première Vision Leather can reduce leather to a thickness of just 0.4 or 0.3 mm. For example, Conceria Gaiera Giovanni has produced 0.3 mm dipped lamb leather that is as supple as silk and perfect for light and cool clothing. “For the summer, we often offer the suede finish for footwear, because it is less likely to be exposed to rain,” our contact at Mégisserie Richard tells us. “We can reduce the thickness to 0.4 mm, which is ideal for producing sandals with fine straps. But if the leather is not to lose any of its strength or elasticity, you have to start off by using skins that are already quite thin.” For the summer season, Conceria Tre Emme has perfected an original article, made up of two thin sheets of matt lamb leather joined together then covered with a shiny film, giving a surprising appearance and texture. While Rial 1957, after having split the lamb leather to 0.2mm, bonded it onto a silk organza backing that supports the material whilst at the same time giving it a blistered effect and a dry texture that is ideal for the production of a summer garment. Extra-fine lamb leather (0.3 mm) from Conceria Gaiera Giovanni
Double-sided lamb leather coated with a shiny film by Conceria Tre Emme
Lamb leather bonded onto silk organza by Rial 1957
Jacket in dipped lamb bonded onto a light tweed, light tweed and leather skirt Yves Salomon summer 2016
Double-sided leather coat, dipped lamb leather dress Yves Salomon summer 2016
Perforated leather: Cut-outs to keep Light and airy perforated leather is the ideal article for summer. Particularly as it brings to mind the very popular mesh fabric that is currently omnipresent in sportswear-influenced collections. And thanks to mechanical and laser perforation techniques, the results are as varied as they are infinite. But do we really know which is the best one to choose? The exhibitors at Première Vision Leather have given us some guidance on the subject: The first example, which is produced using rows of punches lined up on a plate or a strip, is very respectful of the material. “We create our perforations using punches assembled in a row on a strip activated by a very complex machine. We can offer around 20 patterns, depending on the distance between the punches and their shapes,” explains Philippe Joucla of Mégisserie Lauret. But it can only produce regular and fairly simple patterns and there is a limit to the thinness of the skin. “The larger the perforation, the less we can reduce the thickness of the leather” adds Jean-Charles Duchêne of Mégisserie Alric. Defying the laws of nature, Cuirs du Futur have produced a stretch perforated article that is split to 0.2mm with 30% elasticity.
Perforated suede lamb from Mégisserie Lauret
Perforated suede lamb from Mégisserie Lauret
Extrafine perforated stretch lamb leather from Cuirs du Futur
Lamb leather from Conceria Gaiera Giovanni with diamond perforations, giving “elasticity” to the leather
The latest state-of the-art technique is laser perforation, which has the advantage of being extremely flexible, offering an infinite range of sophisticated patterns. However, Philippe Joucla from Mégisserie Lauret underlines its high costs due to the time needed to expose each skin to the laser rays. Its critics also complain about the trace of dark circles that it leaves around the holes and the odour on the skin. But its fans, like OSM or Bopell get round this problem by washing the skin with perfumed water.
Perforated vachetta from Inter Leather
Laser perforation from OSM Leather
Dress in perforated dipped lamb leather Yves Salomon summer 2016
Perforated leather, washed to give a raffia effect by Bopell
Lamb perforated using a punch from Tannerie RG Deri
Laser perforation by Conceria Tre Emme
Punch-perforated leather from Hiriar André
Lamb, leather for all seasons As a true professional who plans ahead, Riba Guixa is never at a loss with the arrival of summer. A specialist of entrefino lamb leather, this Spanish tanner knows how to get the very best from this exceptional ovine breed to make it just as irresistible when the sun shines. “For the summer, we focus on matt finishes and dry, technical textures, like paper, obtained by washing and by methods that are in-house secrets. At Première Vision Leather this season, we present a lamb nubuck that we are particularly proud of,” he told us. The tannery also extols the virtues of their denim finish leather, which is always popular when the sun starts to shine, in washed light shades or dark like raw jeans. In addition, the tannery produces extra-fine articles at 0.4 or even 0.3 mm thickness, also eminently suitable for the summer temperatures. “Before the hide is split, great care must be paid to ensure there is no damage on the flesh side, because with leather this thin it will inevitably make holes”, explains the manager, illustrating the care and attention that is expected by the luxury labels. Lambskin with a dry texture from Riba Guixa
Denim finish from Riba Guixa
Heat-resistant leather Until now, it was an accepted fact that when dyed leather was exposed to the sun’s rays, the temperature of the surface of the leather would rise...But now, with the new summer leather from Tanneries Pechdo, things have changed. This leather is infraredresistant, reflecting the sun’s rays rather than absorbing them, and thus allowing the surface temperature to be reduced (up to 20°C on dark leathers). Offering great thermal comfort, it also ages better. Available in goat leather and sides of bovine leather, it is particularly adapted to the production of sports gloves, motorcycle gear and any other application where it would be preferable to remain cool in hot conditions.
Poncho in suede lamb leather, bikini in stretch suede lamb leather Yves Salomon summer 2016
Fur for summer? A great mix! With mink-coated shoes from Céline and jackets in Mongolian lamb from the sisters of Rodarte seen on the summer catwalks, can we induce that fur does not fear a heatwave? Although fur has been around since prehistoric times to keep us warm in winter, it is now becoming increasingly present in summer collections. A fairly recent phenomenon seen at Yves Salomon, the furrier-manufacturer who needs no introduction, an exhibitor at Première Vision Leather. “We introduced it into our collections about 5 or 6 years ago. Like all the fashion houses, we produce more and more collections to meet all desires and create favourite items. Rabbit, fox, mink – it is not really the type of fur that matters but rather how is it is used. Our style teams have perfected techniques that allow us to make it less compact. Woven, perforated, open-worked, or bonded onto net braid, there are an infinite number of ways to lighten it”. And don’t forget that these light jackets, sleeveless jackets and short coats arrive in stores in January or February, for the mid-season, but can also be worn during the cooler summer evenings.
Sleeveless jacket of racoon and ostrich feather, braided onto net, dipped lamb leather dress Yves Salomon summer 2016
Jacket of silver fox and raccoon braided onto net, patent eel leather skirt Yves Salomon summer 2016
