The Sant, the Catalan brand that sells its bags in the best stores in the world
Fashion
The story of how a small company in Barcelona conquers the international market thanks to a British 'influencer that falls in love with the Kinchaku model
Laia Beltran
That day began as another.At half past nine they were already in the office.First a coffee and then to answer emails, attend some call, check a new skins sample, check the networks, manage another online sale ... nothing new under the sun.Suddenly, a notification entered on Instagram.And then another.And another.And another más.Everything has an explanation.“A few weeks before, a medium -sized British influencer contacted us and asked us to send him a specific bag.We doubt, because we neither knew her nor is our business policy.But we saw his style and we liked.So we send the Kinchaku, ”recalls Laura Riera, founder of The Sant.
The British influencer look caught the attention of photographers that those cold days of February covered the street style of Paris Fashion Week and the photos with the bag began to circulate.Et voilà!Many fashionists threw the eye on Kinchaku because it is frankly special: an elegant rigid baguette, with top quality skin and with an original curly handle in tune."All this gave us a push and we began to leave in the International Press," says Riera, who also saw the Instagram account as little by little was adding followers.
The day we received an email from Net-A-Porter interested in our brand, my partner and I shout like crazy
Laura RieraFundadora de The SantBut the bomb would not explode until a few weeks later.Any day began at his small Barcelona office and suddenly an email entered the entrance tray.“Here we shout my partner and I like crazy.It was incredible.They had written to us from Net-A-Porter because they were interested in our brand and wanted us to send the entire collection to London to value it.And of course, this time we don't think twice.It was very, very exciting, ”recalls Riera.
It was still more Net-A-Porter's response a few weeks later: they were within the virtual platform specialized in luxury brands.“From here a relationship was established and for a small brand like ours it meant a window to the world.They have helped us to make us known and the trust they have deposited in us is a motivation to continue creating, ”says Riera.
Today, The Sant's bags are sold in fashion temples in London, Paris, Doha, Kuwait, kyiv ...
The net-a-porter effect was instant: boom of followers on Instagram, influencers who did not know wearing their bags and, most importantly, Emails waterfall of Buyers International International.And that is why today the Sant The Santos Bags are also sold in fashion temples in London (Browns), Paris (Monnier Frères), Doha (Lafayette), Kuwait (Harvey Nichols), kyiv (Sanahunt) ...
Laura Riera, an architect who loves the skin
The sculptor Richard Serra and the artist Kazimir Malevich, the duality of white and black and a lot of geometry.The Sant's first collection was a statement of intentions."I'm very minimal.Look how I'm dressed.I can not to do other thing!When Design always visualize in black and white, it is the best way I have to conceptualize an idea, ”explains Laura Riera, who before founding The Sant worked in an architecture and interior design office, where he fell in love with the skin andHe sensed his potential.Two summers ago, a trip to Japan impressed him so much that he wanted to investigate his culture, his clothing, his architecture and his rituals.A good example of this is the Kinchaku bag, turned into the brand icon and already edit in different sizes (the mini version costs 375 euros)."The Japanese concept has been very present in the last collections, but we have never renounced minimalism as a conductive thread," explains Riera.As for color, concessions have also been doing.“My team influenced that little by little we were introducing it, in addition the market asks you.In fact, in this spring-summer collection we have first used the python print, ”he adds.From the first collection, and they are already in the sixth, the rigid structure has been another of the identity of the bags of The Sant."And so we will continue," says Riera.“But it is also true that we have been introducing other concepts such as the frames and that took us at the time to try the padded ones, which continue in this summer collection.In the end, everything consists of playing with textures and volumes, ”he says.Another of its great hits are curly leather handles that carry different models."The proof that they like and what they work in is that they have warned us that a Fast Fashion brand has just copied them," he confesses.Is there a better confirmation of success for a small great brand?
If you stop for a moment and look back, The Sant's Carrer.“We have also noticed the break, like everyone else, but we can't complain.Nor did we forget our origins, when we went to Ubrique to look for a workshop and nobody loved us because we were a small unknown brand that could not afford a great production, ”recalls Riero about the beginnings of The Sant, only three years ago.“But I am a head and insist, and we look, and search, and in the end we get it.We have a great artisan workshop in the cradle of luxury leather goods, ”he says.
We have a great artisan workshop in Ubrique, the cradle of luxury leather goods
Laura RieraFundadora de The SantThere are also those first fairs in Paris in which The Sant was a new more brand, full of illusions and with few contacts.“That is why we value our first customers so much, especially a Monaco boutique.They were very brave risking for an unknown brand.But the most important thing is that the product convinced them because it is a contemporary, minimalist, timeless and very well made bag.It is the new luxury and it is the best investment, ”synthesizes Riera.
Today the litmus have changed: The Sant no longer goes to Fairs, goes for free."If we are not in a hotel in Paris right now attending our customers and showing them the collection of the next fall/winter it is because we are in time of pandemic and it is time to do it online".
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Laia BeltranBut there is always an exception that confirms the rule.“In Barcelona we have a small selection of bags in the Concept Store Darial, our only physical point of sale in Spain.Apart, we have the online shop, which allows us to reach everywhere.In fact, we are very excited that clients repeat.With all the offer of bags that exists in the world is a pride that the Sant The Sant buy us.This means that we are doing well ".
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