“A Craftsman is someone who lives from the encounter between Work and Love.”
ASA Leather Work strives to preserve the hand sew technique “Couture Sellier” used at Maison Hermès, which is about to disappear in Portugal.
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In the era of nomadism and mobility, the homes/offices have no limits. They can be taken everywhere quickly, versatilely and beautifully through our pieces.
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ASA is an Experience. A bespoke and personalized service to all those looking for unique & exclusive products .
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We believe in Sustainability & Slow Production and which is why our objects are hand stitched with Upcycled Leather.
OUR STORY
ASA (in Malay) means Esperança in Portuguese or Hope in English.
It is a tribute to Stéphanie´s great grandfather Luis Esperança, the first craftsman in the family, who was a shoemaker. Therefore, the founder Stéphanie’s passion for craftsmanship is something she carries in her blood for 4 generations.
It all started in 2010 when she made her first pair of shoes entirely by hand in Paris.
Later, in a self-taught way, she started making a wallet for a friend and bags for her, and she never stopped. A true passion was born and the therapeutic feeling of working with hands was fantastic.
MEET THE MAKER
Each piece is handmade by the founder Stéphanie Branco who is truly passionate about craftsmanship.
She has working experience in architecture and footwear/leather goods industry. She first started by making handmade shoes in Paris and became a Production Manager for several national & international brands in Portugal.
Her training in architecture gives her a natural ability to imagine and build her products, as well as attention to detail, maintaining the highest level of quality. She cuts and assembles each piece of leather manually, inspired by the traditional techniques used at the Maison Hermès.
As a Designer, Pattern maker, and Self-taught Craftswoman, she now wants to pass on the passion for Leather that has run in her blood for 4 generations.
Stéphanie runs a series of Workshops where she teaches how to make your own leather goods. It is something that is very significant to her, because she wants to empower the next leather goods designers & makers by providing them with training/skill sets.
OUR INSPIRATION
We have a background in Architecture & Footwear that inspires us in everything we design.
Combinations of different geometric shapes, mix raw materials with delicate textures, and contrast colors with minimalist details are characteristics that ASA developed through architecture and transposes to her pieces.
ASA’s exploration of renowned architects’ buildings have built a photographic imagery rich in sensitivity, but mainly a passion for objects and spaces that can narrate stories. Stories that an handcrafted object can tell… Every corner of an architectural space tells a story, just like an handbag that we carry with us every day.
At ASA, we handmade and personalize your pieces so you can create your own story using it.
