Travels With Bella Figura USA

Meet The Artisans of Mystical, Magical Eco-Chic Horn

Sometimes we discover a line of products, so unique - so special, that we are (momentarily) speechless.  Then our speech returns with a vengeance, and we want to tell everyone about our find.

That's how we felt when we came across the stunning natural bovine horn items made by the artisans for De Renaudin.  Whether we're admiring the jewelry, the fabulous serving utensils, or the wonderful wine bar accessories; we are amazed by the quality of the craftsmanship and the quality of the natural horn.

De Renaudin employs horn experts who travel the world in search of the finest quality bovine horns. Their collection  is mainly found in selected areas of South America and Europe.  And these specialists make sure that no harm is ever done to any of the animals.

In fact, one of the reasons we chose to carry De Renaudin products (beside the fact that they're gorgeous) is that the company is dedicated to protecting endangered species; and thereby uses only eco-friendly by-products.  And the use of natural bovine horn is a luxurious substitute for elephant ivory and tortoiseshell.  (An added bonus: De Renaudin has received GREENPEACE approval.)

The artisans use four different techniques to create the jewelry and accessories.  They cut to get slices of the horn, laminate to get the thickness, sand to get the shape, and finally polish in order to achieve the beautiful satin finish. 

The unique, exotic beauty of natural bovine horn has been recognized by the world's most prestigious fashion houses; and De Renaudin has designed special collections for a number of renowned designers, including Yves Saint Laurent, Emanuel Ungaro, John Galliano and Pierre Balmain-Oscar de la Renta.

Go into most any museum and chances are you'll find antiquities (jewelry, combs, boxes) made from natural horn.  Mystical beliefs about natural bovine horn go back to the Middle Ages.  In fact, legend has it that bovine horn brings good luck to its bearer - think about the spiritual Horn of Plenty.   

We can't state that wearing our natural horn choker will bring you luck; or using the handsome cheese servers, or bottle stoppers, will make your life magical.  But we can state that you will be thrilled with the beauty and singularity of any of our De Renaudin products.  (Find these luxe items in Tabletop,  Jewelry,  Gifts For The Hostess,  Gifts For Men,  Bar Ware and  Wine Bottle Stoppers.)

(Be sure and click on photos for full size image.)

Love Handbags? Meet Michelle Medeiros

Sometimes it seems as though you can't pick up a magazine or newspaper anymore without seeing an article on handbags.  Why?  Well, our theory is that all women love a great bag.  After all, your handbag can bring a much needed splash of color to a very conservative outfit - it can herald the changing of the seasons as you make the switch from leather to straw - or it can simply give your spirit a boost by appealing to your sense of whimsy, fun, elegance... whatever mood strikes you at that moment.

And while some handbags can cost as much as a small car (think an Hermes Kelly bag, sigh...) they certainly don't have to.  We often compare them to lipsticks: you can feel fresh and revived by switching to a new shade; but you don't have to take out a second mortgage to do so!

And that's why we were so thrilled to meet the lovely and vivacious Michelle Medeiros, founder of Bahay Bags.  Michelle calls the Philippines her "native home;" and it was there that she first saw the handbags that would inspire her company: they were simple but vibrant bags suitable for everyday life.  And she was enchanted by the fact that the bags were made of all natural materials, were handwoven, and that they were totally unique from anything else on the market.

Being a creative dynamo, Michelle saw the bags as a tremendous opportunity.  An opportunity to provide beautiful and affordable handbags to a larger audience; and at the same time, an opportunity to showcase the natural, mystical splendor of her native island, the Philippines.

Michelle wound up designing a stunning handbag line that combined provocative colors, contemporary style and Mother Nature's organic gifts.  As Michelle says, "we set out to create native chic."   And did she ever!

Speaking further about her line, Michelle said, "I made these bags to feel mystical as they are feminine... I believe that organic flavor IS the beauty of the bag."  Bahay Bags are everything Michelle set out to accomplish.  They are feminine, natural, chic - and very affordable.  Music to any woman's ears!

"Bahay" means "home" in the Philippines.  A Bahay Bag feels warm - and comfortable - and beautiful - just like any home should!  At Bella Figura USA, we are very proud to offer you a selection of handbags from Bahay Bags.

I'd Like To Thank The Academy!

Yes, folks - it's that time of year,  when the stars come out in all their finery, to walk the red carpets and make acceptance speeches thanking all "the little people" that made their success possible!  (I'm  not knocking the thank you's - just remembering Lina's speech in "Singing In The Rain," where she thanks the people cheering her latest film, and adds that "we're happy we could bring some joy into your humdrum lives." Priceless!)

But why am I writing about awards shows in LA?  Well, I'm extremely happy and proud to announce that Bella Figura USA was called to participate in both GRAMMY and OSCAR events! 

C'est magnifique!  But to give credit where credit is due - it's all about the incredibly talented artisans that create our beautiful products.  "Green With Music" is the luxurious gifting retreat happening at the Grammys this year; and we were contacted after the organizers discovered our wonderful eco-chic gifts.  In honor of the event, we are going to donate a percentage of sales from orders placed on our website to MusiCares, the charitable arm of the Recording Industry.  Stay tuned for more information on dates, products involved, etc.

The organizers of the Oscar event were looking for luxurious fashion forward accessories, and picked out some Bella Figura USA products that would "suit the stars."  While our schedule isn't allowing us to participate in person at the Oscars, we wanted to do SOMETHING to mark the event.  So, we will be offering to you - with an OSCAR discount! - some of the products that the organizers loved.  Again, stay tuned for details.

And as far as the awards go: Good Luck to all!  As the nominees always say, "it's an honor to have been nominated."  Well, we're feeling the same way: it's an honor to have been selected!  Thank You!

To Market, To Market, To Buy A ?

This week has been a whirlwind of activity as we've been preparing for the HUGE gift market in NYC - thus our excuse for falling behind in posts!  The market is fascinating, and we've had great luck there in finding some stellar artisans.  So starting tomorrow we'll all be in beautiful Manhattan (hopefully not freezing our tutus off), and we'll stay there through next Tuesday. 

For all you Barbara Silverstein fans out there (and we know there are lots of you), yes, we'll be seeing our friend and fave jewelry designer; and we're truly excited to check out all the new pieces in her line.

And for all of our "green" friends, we're looking forward to finding what new items are being carried by the uber-fabulous De Renaudin.  Eco-friendly products have become such a big deal the last few years, and sometimes it seems as though anybody and everybody is touting their products as "green."  (Noticed that the Today Show has been doing a little investigative work on this very thing all week.)   

Of course, we sell gifts - very upscale, luxurious, handcrafted gifts - but nevertheless, gifts.  So there's not as much scrutiny involved in our arena.  However, we believe in complete transparency; and encourage anyone who has questions about why an item is labeled "green," to contact us.  We're always happy to give more information - and we just flat-out enjoy talking to our clients!

So feel free to drop us an email, or give us a call if you want more information.

Love Architecture? Love Jewelry? You'll LOVE Barbara

Susan pointed out to us recently that we haven't talked about any of our artisans for awhile.  Susan, you are so right - and we're going to remedy that right now!

We make no bones about it - we love jewelry at Bella Figura USA.  And one of our all time favorite designers is Massachusetts based, Babara Silverstein.

Barbara is a fan of contemporary, minimal architectural lines - classic lines.  And it was love at first site when she first spied some industrial braided stainless steel in her local hardware store.  As she so beautifully described it, " ... my response to the purity of the intrinsic beauty of braided stainless steel was immediate and total."

By 1996, Barbara was not only designing her own braiding and fashioning her sleek steel designs, but she had come up with five electroplated finishes for them:  14k gold, 24k gold, bronze, antique, gunmetal and her own original finish of champagne.

It didn't take too long for Barbara to find another unusual inspiration: a lint catcher from her dryer - specifically, the knitted wires of the lint catcher.

This atypical "muse object" inspired her to create the jewelry pieces whose delicate mesh wiring ensconce freshwater pearls and sparkling Swarovski crystals.  Utterly gorgeous and completely unique!

However, not just content to create luxurious, timeless pieces, Barbara was also determined that her jewelry be maintenance free and COMFORTABLE.  To this end, many of the pieces close with magnetic clasps - no fumbling around trying to get little chains to hook into tiny rings!  And her collars wear like a dream - no sense of heaviness even with her most opulent collars.

Museum shop and galleries carry the work of Barbara SilverStein, which makes perfect sense as they are truly works of art.  And at Bella Figura USA we are very proud and pleased to offer you a variety of pieces from the Barbara SilverStein Collection.

More photos/info on the crystal necklace shown above: Barbara SilverStein Crystal

(And click on the champagne collar to see the beautiful braiding up-close.)