Kohl & Co^[7]

Finding simplicity and elegance in the things we use most often is at the heart of Kohl & Co’s design ethos.

Kohl and Co’s bags are hand-made in a small workroom in Nelson on the South Island of Aotearoa. Designer and maker Louise Leggat studied Fine arts at Ilam university and fashion design at Massey in Wellington and taught textile design at Nelson Marlborough Institute of technology. Leggat sees herself as a creative inquisitor and explores design and art across several fields including interior design and illustration as well as creating beautiful objects to wear and carry for her label Kohl & Co.

This label aspires to achieve timeless and lasting quality through design, craftsmanship and carefully selected materials. “We like to honour the longevity of the materials we use by making pieces which are clean, simple, and timeless by design” Kohl and co does not follow fast-lived trends or adhere to thematically driven seasons, Each bag made has its own unique character, the distinct properties of the materials on the table often leads the design of a piece. As leather is a natural material there are many beautiful marks and grainlines which can be emphasised in their placement to make each bag truly special.

With a multidisciplinary design process many different mediums are drawn on in the finishing of each piece, bags are pattern drafted using the same principles of traditional tailoring and finishing’s may include hard materials such as timber or brass and fabric applications such as printing or painting and weaving.

Kohl and co bags are thoughtfully designed to become a well-loved part of your everyday. “we believe that something beautiful can bring joy to the simplest of tasks and that things which are mindfully made will stand the test of time.”