Travelling With Envoyage – Interview With Claudia Eicke

I well remember when Claudia Eicke presented her beautifully produced first leather bag ‚bonvoyage‚ (French for ‚have a good trip‘). It was her graduation from the University of the Arts Zurich in 2007 which led her onto the path of accessory design with a special twist.

Calfskin shopper 'Calvi' with two outside pockets, several inside pockets and adjustable shoulder strap.

Operating under the label name of ‚envoyage‚ (French for ‚travelling‘) Eicke has just launched her first luxurious collection including a weekender, a shopper, a clutch and accessories such as purses and key holders in a distinct, elegant style.

Goatskin weekender with special tunnel pocket for shoes or bottles - now which one do we really need to take along?

Inspired by forms and colours she happens to come across in her every-day life, Eicke designs all bags in her studio in Zurich, finding form and volume by using paper, cardboard or fabric. The leather goods consisting of up to several dozen of single components are produced by hand in small batch series. In the course of the launch last week we had the chance to ask the young designer some questions.

Lamb nappa leather clutch 'Carin' with three sealable inside pockets.

What bag are you carrying at the moment and what is inside?

I am carrying the shopper ‚Calvi‘. It’s really comfortable with the large volume and all the compartments. In my bag there are: iphone, wallet, keys, pencils, moleskine, „bag-in-bag“; the small purse ‚Carin‘ that contains all my beauty products.

Your trademark piece is the ‚Weekender‘. What makes it special?

The ‚Weekender‘ is very functional and leads to a phenomenal overview on all the belongings in the bag. The unique „tunnel compartment“ has room for shoes, newspapers, a bottle of wine….

Calf leather coin purse 'Cuneo' with two inside pockets.

How would you describe the envoyage woman?

‚Envoyage‘ leather goods are for confident women who value individuality and live spontaneously. These women are fashionable and appreciate aesthetics as well as functionality, quality, exclusivity, and security in a handbag.