NORDIC ALLURE. Peter Zewet followed Braun Büffel through the enchanting winter landscapes of Northern Europe to witness a fall/winter collection that highlighted the brand’s timeless values as well as new visions
Last April, Braun Büffel held a private preview of its fall/winter 2016 collection, held in conjunction with the opening of the brand’s flagship store in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Its ever-revolving collection inspiration constantly highlights one destination after another, and, this time around, it’s the Scandinavian countries that take the spotlight.
THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
As one of the leading global luxury brands from Germany, Braun Büffel is best known for leather goods with straightforward functionality and uncompromising workmanship. But for the past few seasons, the brand successfully infused more fashionable elements to the designs of the collections, particularly by introducing more colors and shapes to its popular product lines. This is definitely a great move for the storied label. If anything, this presents Braun Büffel, which was founded by Johann Braun in 1887, in a more fashion-forward light, thus making it much more appealing to a younger and more fashionable crowd.
For the current fall/winter season, Braun Büffel was inspired by the landscape of Northern Europe. With the lavish and rich hues of the Northern Lights radiating across the winter skies at twilight, the collection is meant to enchant the senses and indulge one’s desire for personal expression. While the women’s collection delights with a wide variety of materials and clean shapes that exudes composed elegance, the men’s collection takes its cues from the modern sophistication of Scandinavian interior design: A harmony of aesthetics with simple lines accentuating modest luxury.
A Baltic briefcase
STARS AND POP ART
This approach is best exemplified in the Orion collection, which is impeccably crafted in double-faced medium printed calf leather using a unique seamless technique. Accented with minimalist detailing and clean, simple aesthetics, the Orion collection is given a lavish finish through contrasting dual leather tones. The Homme-B collection, which features a clean-lined briefcase and a handy clutch, is also updated and reinterpreted with the soft color palette usually associated with the natural beauty of the Northern Lights.
The themes of the season are also translated into striking print motifs, which are unique to this fall/winter collection. For the men’s collection, the star print was presented in the Baltic collection. An abstract portrayal of an enchanted forest enveloped in crisp snow, the graphic print is inspired by illustrations of folklore and fairy-tales rooted in the communities and culture of Northern Europe. ranging from a briefcase to a flat clutch, the Baltic collection makes for a definite statement of quality and artistry.
A Bully portfolio
Another standout from the season’s collection is the Buffy and Bully series. driven by pop-art references, the series features a playful imagining of Braun Büffel’s buffalo symbol as a patchwork motif. The Buffy, in the women’s collection, features a feminine buffalo with long fluffy eyelashes and luscious red lips. The Bully, in the men’s collection, features a geometric composition of the buffalo symbol, reflecting strength and a gentlemanly flair. But aside from the design, what makes Buffy and Bully even more special is that they are crafted from assorted cutouts of calf leather from the collection, highlighting a sense of sustainability as well as sartorial creativity.
Knowing their strengths and the needs of their loyal customers, Braun Büffel also continues to present collections that highlight understated luxury. For the metropolitan man, the aforementioned Artic collection, crafted from luxurious smooth premium calf leather, is available in both tote and backpack variations for easy everyday use. The Hans collection, meticulously crafted from semi-vegetable tanned calf leather, ranges from a briefcase to a nifty backpack that offers a spacious interior and a magnetic snap closure.
For weekend escapades or everyday adventures, the Karl collection unites rugged urbanity with the essence of minimalism. Crafted in durable medium grain printed calf leather, Karl bags feature streamlined designs that are accompanied with a clean exterior zip compartment. Naturally, this feature is both functional and convenient for keeping essentials at hand.
Last but not least, the Oskar collection, which draws on the conceptual idea of the distinguished gentleman, is crafted from large grain printed calf leather that is soft to the touch and accented with strips of brown suede leather to convey a sense of luxury. Ranging from a postman bag to a document holder, the Oskar collection offers versatility to meet the needs of the modern man.
In Indonesia, Braun Büffel products can be found at the brand’s boutiques in Plaza Indonesia, Pondok Indah Mall 1, Grand Indonesia, Senayan City, Mall Kelapa Gading 3, Puri Indah Mall, Central Park, Tunjungan Plaza 5 Surabaya, Ciputra World Surabaya, Paris Van Java Bandung as well as their counters in leading department stores.
