Fashionable with a FURLA

A COLLECTION that’s anything but nostalgic, the new Furla it-bags are the perfect blend of elegance and innovation. The latest autumn and winter 2013 collection, “Black to the Future” was recently previewed at the We Do Gallery restaurant in Soi Thonglor with an ambience that mimicked the catwalks of Milan Fashion Week.
Brand manager Kanokporn Losiri explains that the new collection celebrates every woman’s yearning for change and novelty through the use of black, whether on its own or layered with other shades. Materials, shapes and colours inspired by the active world of winter sports and the beauty of unspoilt nature are bound together with an invisible string that rejoices in the essence of the cold season in the mountains.
Furla offers six themes: “Active Red”, “Into The Blue”, “Glam Rock”, “Total Black”, “Natural Shades” and “Winter Nature”.
“Black is the key colour. It’s like a thread, stitching together and harmonising each form, each nuance, each volume. The collection plays with layering different materials, glossy with matte, soft with hard. “Total Black” is reinvented through innovative constructions, such as the panels stitched onto backgrounds of brushed leather or ultra-shiny patent leather,” Kanokporn adds.
Soft furs, natural materials and neutral colours envelop a more rarefied atmosphere, plunging the collection into the splendour of winter. The mystery of the Siberian Tiger, the inspiration for this season’s Animal Print, reigns supreme among snowy forests and towering rock faces.
“Another highlight is the ‘Active Red’ look. This can be used two ways, hand-held and over-the-shoulder, and features clean lines and layers of materials with a panel of soft matte leather in bright red colours stitched over extra-black brushed leather. It’s utterly contemporary,” says Kanokporn.
The collection is further enriched by the use of bold, sports-inspired colours such as electric blue, fuchsia, bougainvillaea and mauve, along with contrasting materials, such as the gloriously soft matte-effect leather combined with glossy, extra-black leather.
The backpack also makes a comeback this winter in the form of “Candy”, a practical, fun development of the iconic Furla bag. A potent mix of glamour and innovation joined by the new interpretation of the Candy Sunset, the backpack features bright colours waning into translucent shadow.
Model Alison Nix is the brand’s newest presenter and the crowds at the showing were treated to three short videos of the Furla look shot by Davide Bedoni, an upcoming Italian contemporary artist receiving support from Fondazione Furla and Furla Art Award.
Thai fans include Nandhamalee Bhirombhakdi, the proud owner of the Furla red burgundy bag with back and front openings, making it easy for the holder to open but difficult for a pickpocket.
“The collection is quite timeless and worth passing on to the younger generation. Personally I take very good care of my bags, storing them in special bags before placing those in a box to ensure the leather stays supple. I particularly like this season’s colourful bags and love the black, which can be mixed and matched with lots of outfits. I prefer a small bag though, because it forces me to only carry the real essentials,” she says.
Socialite Boonyabha Bencharongkul prefers the orange bag, which offsets the dark clothes she enjoys wearing. “I like the shape of the Furla bag especially the wider base. The two-tone colours are very interesting and work well with different types of material,” she says.
Celebrities Rossarin Chumsai na Ayuthaya and Piyawipa Intharatat wouldn’t be seen dead without their Furla totes. Piyawipa finds the Mini Candy shoulder bag is trendy and loves the see-through materials and gold metallic pins.
 “The bag is light with a clear-cut form. It’s very cool and smart!” she coos.