Born in Armenia, Stefano Serapian emigrated in the early 1900s to Milan, Italy, where he started creating small leather goods using scraps gathered from workshops. He later moved to Venice, where he met his wife, Gina Flori, and together they launched leather goods brand Serapian, in 1945. It was quickly adopted by style icons such as Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman and Bette Davis and branched out into manufacturing house lines for retailers around the world. Today the company is run by Serapian's son, Ardavast.
not all brands can guarantee that they are made in Italy from start to finish, but Serapian is the real deal. All stages of production - from the cutting of the hides to the tanning process - take place at the brand's factories in Milan. Many of the designs have been resurrected from an archive of more than 6,000 models and are made with hides that have been collected since the 30s.
The current collection includes women's bags and men's bags and accessories, as well as a range of luggage that is perfect for the luxury traveller.
The brand also offers customisation and a bespoke service. Its new, innovative fabrics include the Mosaico Serapian, a handwoven nappa leather, and the Stepan, a chic yet durable coated cotton that is waterproof.
created in 1971, the Ani handbag (top right; HK$11,050 to HK$13,000) features clean yet minimalist lines, while the structured Melinè (above right; HK$19,400) also has a whiff of retro glamour. Men might opt for the modern Philip briefcase (above left; HK$11,500).
Serapian is at 7 On Lan Street, Central, tel: 2522 3143.
