#CloseEyeOn: Sy&Vie bags, the wearable sculptures you need 

Who doesn’t love to have a one-of-a-kind piece that nobody else has? Or to be among the first ones to wear a brand that flies under the radar? If you’re looking for unique, handmade bags that combine modern design, craftsmanship, heritage techniques, and sustainable materials, Sy&Vie is the label for you. Carved out of various Brazilian woods and embellished with delicate inlay, Sy&Vie bags are like small sculptures that each tell a different story. Additionally, the founder of the luxury handbag label, Sylvie Quartara, has honed the technique of assemblage to create her wearable art pieces.

What makes Sy&Vie bags so unique

Sy&Vie clutches and bags are more than accessories; they are like delicate portable paintings that celebrate the beauty of nature. Thanks to elegant colour combinations and unexpected details like feathers, and animal-shaped or acrylic clasps, they become the centrepiece of any outfit.

The intricate clutches come to life through the hands of talented artisans, wood carvers and metalworkers. They take over 140 hours to hand-make each bag, from the first sketches to the final product. Sylvie Quartara explains that “it isn’t enough to have a great idea. You have to also sit with the artisan and see what is possible to do and what isn’t”. Consequently, besides being beautiful and creative, Sy&Vie handbags are also easy to wear. She adds, “There is no use making a wonderful bag that weighs 4 kilos“. 

Above all, Quartara uses sustainable wood, fallen leaves and twigs, gemstones, feathers, wool, and even sand to create the eye-catching bags’ flowing curves and geometric designs. In her Nature-à-Porter collection, the designer assembles and arranges contrasting natural materials and found objects. She recreates sceneries that inspire her, for instance, a blue sky and flowers from her garden or a Tuscan landscape. The fabulous Sy&Vie assemblage and inlay wood bags are both timeless and contemporary, being an ode to slow fashion.

A passion for creation in every sense of the word is just part of who I am. Creating to bring beauty, happiness, and joy is part of my nature. 

Sylvie Quartara

A bit about the designer Sylvie Quartara

Sylvie Quartara launched Sy&Vie bags in 2014 after having designed home accessories, silk scarves, and handmade shoes for over 20 years in Paris, Milan and her native São Paulo. Born to a French father and Brazilian mother, Sylvie combines the French chicness and Brazilian joie de vivre when creating her one-of-a-kind handbags.

The mother-of-three first used wood inlay when designing shoes. The signature of her high-end footwear brand was the striking inlaid wooden heels. Certainly, by taking this craftsmanship to the next level with Sy&Vie, the creative designer found in bags and clutches the perfect canvases to express herself, combining art and fashion.

Sy&Vie handmade bags are available in Paris and online at By Marie, and in London, at the showroom Blanc. All photos are courtesy of Sy&Vie.

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