Our Philosophy
We have a passion to create something you are proud to carry. Artistry is at the heart of every design, every cut and every stitch. That is why every single bag is handmade by artists in the U.S.
"Mastery of technique paired with a creative mind results in beautiful works of art"
The artistry that goes into every one of our bags is pure passion and love for design. The way Duncan goes about the process of creating after getting inspired may seem chaotic to some. Brainstorming, sketches, folding shapes, jumping out of bed at night cause he had a eureka moment right as he was about to fall asleep.
Followed by countless prototypes the final design is never truly finished, as we believe in the philosophy of Kaizen. We will always find ways to continuously improve.
The beautiful thing about a handmade piece is that it has a certain feeling attached to it that is unique to the piece. You can tell a true artist worked on it and it has character.
With meticulous craftsmanship and a combination of traditional and modern techniques, a bag by Duncan Maxwell is truly a dream to touch and love.
"Capturing a place, feeling or memory is part of our artistic expression"
We believe fashion design is an incredible medium of artistic expression. A bag has shape, color, texture, movement, scent, and many more aspects that tie it together in a piece that complements itself with balance.
Our favorite moment is when we create a design that truly captures a moment. With this we mean a bag that conveys the flashy yet elegant feeling of the red carpet, or maybe the tragically beautiful feeling of a black rose.
This capturing of an emotion really is what creates stunning fashion, or art for that matter. Thus we experiment.
A single silhouette can convey many different identities. The different rich colors and bold textures combine to make a bag that suits a specific aesthetic. Aligning with your individual expression.
"Nothing compares to luxury leather"
Leather is one of the most sustainable, durable, and beautiful materials that is used in fashion. Our world is littered with plastics, and we don't want to contribute to the microplastic problem. That is why we are not fond of "vegan" leather, and don't work with it.
The beauty of real leather is the subtle inconsistencies and the natural patina it will accumulate over time. A fine piece of leather is like a fine piece of wood, with the right care it will gain an unmatchable character with age.
We use only the highest grade Italian, French or American leather, that not only looks, but also feels lavish and luxurious. Processed by the most reputable and renowned tanneries in their respected countries.
Vegetable tanned leather, which almost all our bag outers are made of, is a process of using leaves, tannins and other natural ingredients to cure the leather. As it absorbs oils from it's environment the leather starts to look better as it ages.