An Entrepreneur’s Launch of a Luxury Accessory Brand
What does it take to launch a luxury accessory brand?
Creativity, a passion for what you do, the talent to produce a high quality product, business sense, creating outlets to sell your product, and marketing your product are just a few things that go into creating and building a successful business. Noa Greenspan, the creator and founder behind Noalim Luxury Accessories gives us a peek at her product and shares her story with us at the official NYC launch of her business.
As I approach the entrance to a small artsy showroom in midtown Manhattan to attend the official launch of luxury leather brand, Noalim, I can hear the banter of guests oohing and aahing over the designs. Guests are mingling in that oh so New York City way and enjoying all the unique designs on display.
Immediately, I’m drawn to all the large wall displays. On one side of the showroom are beautiful rows of carefully laid out crocodile, alligator, and python skins ranging in color from natural tones to neons. It’s a dream for a designer like me to see the raw materials that can be selected and custom designed into whatever is in your imagination and brought to life with Noa Greenspan’s expertise craftsmanship. Some have painted effects and others have touches of metallic. The unique texture and color choices are endless. This is a designer who LOVES luxury leather and has been trained in the age old artisan techniques of crafting leather – cutting each piece by hand, punching the holes and hand stitching are all parts of the labor intensive process of bringing each piece to life.
Endless selections of beautifully finished skins show a wide variety of looks for the most traditional person to the most fashion forward.
On the other wall is Greenspan’s colorful concept board with swatches and ideas to show some of the possibilities for design. They showcase some of the current trending looks from neon colors to must have shades of olive that are camouflage friendly, and deep rich cordovan shades. I’m in love with rose gold metallics and a Tiffany blue shade with a touch of silver metallic.
Not sure what custom accessory you’d like to have made by Noa? You can get inspired by some of these looks.
Some of the season’s favorites – rose gold and Tiffany blue
And in the middle of the evening’s festivities is a large table with all of her beautiful designs on display for the evening. I find myself perusing the gorgeous accessories that include large handbags to small mini bags, bracelet cuffs, necklaces, catch-all trays, menageries of small creatures that are meant to be used as decorative fobs on bags, and my favorite – the boozy bangle. It’s time to chat with designer of the brand, Noa Greenspan.
A sampling of what’s of items currently available through the Noalim website. Custom orders can also be taken.
The boozy bangle is a great gift. A chunky bracelet with a screw top lid turns this accessory into a holder for your favorite beverage.
Noa tells us that she started designing shoes and handbags after her mother told her to stop spending so much money on her accessories and learn how to make them herself. First studying accessory design in Tel Aviv and then attending New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology accessory design program, she eventually found her calling to work with exotic leathers. Noa’s mix of modern techniques blended with classic craftsmanship creates some very unconventional designs.
Noa tells us that when working with these skins, unfortunately about 70% of a skin goes to waste due to the nature of the shape of the skin and also due to particular areas such as a tail possibly having scars or scratches which makes them less desirable. However, she doesn’t like having any of it go to waste which is how she started designing the smaller pieces in her collection like busines card holders, smaller bracelets, lighter holders and the adorable stuffed mini animals. They still take just as much work and labor to make, but she doesn’t like wasting any part of the skins.
Interviewing Noa Greenspan, designer of Noalim Accessories about her start in the business and leading up to the launch of her brand.
Check out the full tour of the event and interview with Noa Greenspan here.
Event photography provided by Latin Biz Today staff photographer: Ivy Dash Photography
