Simply Abu Dhabi XXXV

1 6 1 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I I nspired by the majestic beauty of southern Africa, Calie Parese is a highly exclusive luxury brand from the sister team of Catherine and Alice Pearse. The co-founders, who merged their names together to create ‘Calie Parese’, drew upon memories of their sunlit childhood adventures across Botswana, Kenya, and Namibia, to name but a few places their treks took them. The result is an exquisite collection of finely crafted crocodile bags, clutches, and accessories that showcase the Pearse sisters’ design flair, as well as the rich and unique craftsmanship of African artisans. “We have always loved luxury and been taught to appreciate it,” says Alice. “We want to share African beauty and its adventurous lifestyle with the world, as well as showcase what southern Africa has to offer in the way of craftsmanship and design excellence.” Alice studied at Edinburgh College of Art and Catherine graduated from the London College of Fashion, and the two sisters knew they wanted to combine the classic elements of luxury leather work with the rich appeal of southern Africa’s intricate craftsmanship, particularly of brass adornments. Thus, Calie Parese was launched in early 2019 with a stunningly elegant collection, handmade in Africa. The centrepiece is the made-to-order Calie Parese Signature Tote, crafted in Cape Town by expert leather craftsmen, and it’s sure to become a classic. The rich colour and texture of Nile crocodile skin finds a new and luxurious interpretation in the tote, which features brown suede leather lining, a vertical white stripe, and gold-plated rings at the base of the handles. As Catherine tells us, the rings reference the traditional brass ornaments worn by some African tribes and Alice, who studied jewellery making using the traditional wax carving technique, adds that the gold rings symbolise the harmony between African craftsmanship and culture. The overall effect of this luxurious tote is classical yet modern, instantly bringing to mind Africa through the materials and perfectly encapsulating the sisters’ love of luxury and African influence.

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