Beast to Beauty: Willique blends tropical notes with high-end appeal
The accessories brand creates employment in the Turks and Caicos and sees material selection as an integral part of its appeal.
A great relationship with tanneries is the starting point for any leather-using accessories brand, says Anya Willique, the Caribbean-born founder of the accessories brand of the same name. Ms Willique’s love of handbags was the inspiration for creating her own designs and in 2016, launching her brand with a headquarters in London but a heart and soul in the Turks and Caicos Islands, which she calls home. The archipelago of 40 low-lying coral islands is home to a steady supply of wealthy tourists and residents, being a prime destination on the cruise ship and superyacht circuit and a tax haven that attracts businesses and owners. This creates a potential customer base for a high-end brand inspired by island culture. “It was my love for luxury handbags, designing and wanting to create a sustainable and eco-friendly brand that spurred me forward,” Ms Willique tells World Leather.
She moved to the UK to study and set up in London for a time, which is where she was inspired to launch the brand. Following a six-month research and development project to assess suppliers and decide on materials, she set up production in the Turks and Caicos, where the products are made. “It took rather a lot of networking and research to find the right eco-friendly materials,” she explains. “I found the majority of materials I sourced abroad were incredibly expensive, but that is the price to pay to be sustainable, which is very much worth it.”
The brand’s two main collections are Wanderlust, which is made from “ethically and locally sourced leathers” and Conscious, which is made from Pinatex, a fabric made from waste pineapple leaf fibres from Spanish company Ananas Anam. Each bag is named after a place Ms Willique has visited and is inspired by the vibrancy, colours and culture of the countries; the Cuban design includes hand-painted motifs and was designed following an encounter with an artist in Havana.
The leather is supplied by tanneries around the world, including one based in the UK. “What I learnt with building a relationship with tanneries is that you have to be incredibly clear on what it is you’re looking for; communicating your ethos, the quality level you need; quantity is also of course important,” she says.
Luxury’s staying power
A recent report from luxury goods analysts and consultants at Bain and Altagamma predicted an average 20% fall in sales this year, globally, due to the covid-19 pandemic and subsequent store closures. Of the sectors, leathergoods showed slightly more resilience than others. Matteo Lunelli, Altagamma’s president, said: "The pandemic has immediately hit the high-end industry worldwide and will lead to a 20% drop in turnover in 2020. However, the sector will start again and the long-term trend remains positive with a growth of 2-3% between now and 2025.”
Many luxury brands have reported better-than-expected second quarter results as retail and demand for luxury goods in China returned to near-normal levels: Burberry has spoken of “particularly strong demand for leathergoods” and Hermes has embarked on a large expansion of its manufacturing operations in France – all of which bode well for the sector. Companies with well-developed e-commerce platforms have been able to take advantage of the increase in online sales.
Willique could also potentially benefit from a US ruling that means French leather handbags could be subject to a 25% duty from January, potentially making bags from other destinations more attractive. The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) said it would wait for 180 days before starting to charge importers the extra 25% and said this period would come to an end on January 6. This decision is a retaliation for a digital services tax that France has said it will impose on US technology firms, which the USTR described as unreasonable and a measure that would burden or restrict US commerce.
For Ms Willique, the idea that she is introducing well-sourced and made materials and products to consumers, and creating items that can be treasured, is a reassuring move away from fast fashion. “At first, all I wanted to do was create the brand and watch my vision come to life,” she says. “When a customer sent me a personal note to thank me for providing them with a handbag that they were so thrilled with, that’s the moment I knew that there is a market for people who appreciate excellent craftsmanship. I certainly think that the demand for high-end, eco-friendly fashion, not just handbags, is going to grow incredibly fast.”
Manufacturing locally means not only being able to keep an eye on production and creates flexibility, but also creates an income stream for local workers. “There’s more to ‘sustainability’ than just the fabric/leather itself,” she says. “It’s supporting your economy by buying local, providing jobs and ensuring the process has a low environmental impact. We’re pleased to say we don’t have any plastic in sight!”.
