Bamboozled by Brilli

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Nataliahead Upon further investigation then of Natalia Brilli’s AW08-9 collection, it would seem that the collection is exactly what I expected with a firm and trusty continuation of leather covered beads, bows that don’t look sickly sweet, trinkets that border on being a little odd and bags that are solidly beautiful rather than flimsy.  There is just no chance in hell that anyone, even the most saccharinely enthusiastic person could look at Brilli’s collection and say ‘Oh that’s cute!’ in a high pitched voice… thank god though because I believe that Brilli is aiming for a different sort of embellishment and adornment altogether with her collection.  The clutches aren’t airy of full of fluff; they seem weighted, like you need to be in awe of them.  The cuffs are unapologetically big but not cartoonish.  The necklaces whilst using bows and beads, manage to look warrior-like.  Oh, and how she managed to turn a Chinese phoenix-like bird, usually seen in naff Chinese costume dramas in bright colours and metallics into something sleek and truly covetable (left) is beyond me…   

For the next season, she has explored different textures such as grey gradiated ponyskin, burnt wood and of course a whole host of coloured/treated leathers to add to the black staple that has served her well over the years since launching her collection in 2005.      

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The mens range of accessories excites me just as much as the womens stuff, if not more, only because I’m a fan of the passport/card/key holders and would like a matching embossed set as seen in this collection… 

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When I’m talking about being ‘bamboozled’ in the title though, I’m referring to Brlli’s use of black goat fur in items like a tasselled clutch, tote and cape for the new collection.  It reminded me of Lady Coveted’s post about being intrigued by ‘monkey fur’ and so with a cautious heart and head, I do officially announce that I’m becoming quite a fan of the aesthetic of Mongolian black goat fur.  Having done a lot of Googling, I found it incredibly difficult to find out the process of how the material is sourced and produced so this may actually lead to a bit of research with Ms. Brilli herself…  I’ve actually always held the ‘sitting on the fence’ stance when it comes to fur, depending on situation, production process and research to back up whatever piece is sitting in front of me as opposed to spitting and toshing at whatever fur comes my way.  The superficial truth is, I do like the way this fur has been used in these accessories and the material itself seems to lend itself well to jackets and gilets as well.  Like I said, further investigation is needed but for now… the cape…hmmm…

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(BBlessing, Erie Basin and Order & Progress stock a good range of Natalia Brilli accessories online…)   

34 comments

  4. ooh, I’m drooling over the embossed passport holder. are they available for sale in the States?

  5. Im really liking what I see. Especially the black women’s bag
    And the men’s jewelry.
    And the monkey fur clutch.
    And it’s nice to see that the prices are pretty good too.

  8. I’m in love with the bangles, they look so heavy like they would make a good clunking sound when worn together.

  9. I agree that I’m fascinated by the Mongolian fur. I love the chain links, not in the shiny trendy way they’ve been presented, but more weathered like here.

  10. ah! two mentions in one day! you are indeed lovely susie!
    🙂
    i’m loving all these variations of black, even though historically i’ve had an aversion to the non-color, my ways are starting to change….

  11. Thanks for the link! We’re eagerly awaiting our fall Natalia Brilli arrivals at Erie Basin… the burned-wooden beads are amazing. As are those horse heads!

  12. dude. i’ve been wanting a little capelet in that fur for a long time but i’d never wear the real stuff. if someone makes a faux version, i’ll be in line.

  13. I have been a big Natalia Brilli fan for awhile now. I love this collection and I am going nuts for that black uber-slouchy bag.

  14. These are utterly gorgeous, you just want to touch them and you can see the quality. As for the fur capelet I probably would wear.

  16. These are awesome. I definitely like how it “darkens” or subversifies cute items. The only thing I scratch my head at is that skateboard…seriously?

  18. I love the black necklaces. I just got a black pearl necklace from this website called Premiumpearl.com and I’ve been wearing it nonstop!

  22. gah! I really really like those gloves! This whole collection is awesome infact, really reminds me of my goth self when I was 17 😛 I’v always loved goat hair on clothing/purses too…gareth pugh did some lovely stuff with it I think it was a/w 07 though I can’t be sure. :-/
    -Giselle <3<3<3

  27. Like the designs but can’t get my head around the fur. It just totally creeps me out to see someone wearing it.

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  32. Her stuff is great.
    I have mixed feelings on fur though. I am vegan in my diet, but when it comes to bags and shoes, I falter, as I have a love for them, surface as that may be. I am not perfect.
    I came to terms with me wearing leather a long time ago, yet the fur thing is not as easy for me to sit with.
    I don’t think that in this day and age, with all the technology that we have, that we actually need to wear fur, especially in accessories.
    I am in conflict about one garment that was given to me though. It is a beautiful (be it a bit shabby) vintage mink cape.
    I put it on, and yes, I love the way it looks, yet somehow, it does not feel right. I don’t know though, I still have not gotten rid of it.
    Part of me justifies keeping and wearing it, because one it was a gift, and two, it is vintage.
    Alas the confusion.
    I am not an activist or a hater of anyone who eats meat or wears fur. We all have our choices.
    I would love to hear what others think of fur, and why or why not wear it, whether it be vintage or new.

  33. Arline, I think the subject of fur is a really touchy one which is why I’ve never fully delved into it on the blog…
    I may do a separate post to let people to voice their opinions more coherently…
    Likky: Do check with Natlia Brilli direct to see whether a US-retailer is buying in the passport holders…BBlessing in New York seems like a good bet…

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