Thread got the chance to catch up with the charmingly down to earth Benah designer Brenda Harvey who is currently visiting home – NZ- from her base in Sydney…
Benah Summer 2011/12
Thread got the chance to catch up with the charmingly down to earth Benah designer Brenda Harvey who is currently visiting home – NZ- from her base in Sydney.
While her husband Ben was in LA filming, she took the opportunity to come and visit family and friends, and see the new collection in store.
Benah originally started as a collection of scarves that Brenda felt would easily work around her pregnancy and the early years of her daughter Mila.
The scarves have a slight digital print feel to them, and the colours are gorgeous. They retail for about $165 each. We particularly loved the purple coloured ones.
The scarves are still part of the collection, but have now become very much secondary to her tightly-designed collection of luxury bags. With a slick European feel to them, it is the detailing and particularly the colours that set them immediately apart. Being beautifully-made certainly helps as well.
The most coveted piece for us is the Elva Laptop Bag, $798. At first glance it just looks like a particularly gorgeous shoulder bag, but Brenda designed it so that all of your laptop and the paraphernalia that goes with work (cables and cords) could easily disappear into the depths of the bag – and keep the laptop safely padded (practical), but not look like you are carrying an ugly laptop bag. It could then hold wallets, makeup and anything else you would carry on a day to day – but would be especially good for travelling.
We also loved the Alex Travel/iPad Wallet, which is designed to hold your iPad – it comes in both a leather ($258) and a canvas version which costs slightly less. The soft apply green is just gorgeous. Makes it easier to find your iPad in the bottom of your black bag we feel…
With lots of traditional elements given a bit of a twist – we liked the big canvas and leather shopper called the Lena Tote – which looks like it should have a baguette sticking out of it – we loved the colour combinations of tan leather and red/orange canvas. It retails for $562.
We also loved the Kodi Cuff which comes in red nubuck, tan, and black. Watch out for the winter version for next year, which will be coming in a gunmetal finish. It is simple but sexy and retails at $154.
All of the Benah Collection is exclusive in New Zealand with Simon James – and it seems like a perfect fit to us; fabulously-designed products, at the home of good design. Simon James @ The Department Store, 10 Northcroft Street Takapuna Auckland.
Words and photos by Anya Brighouse
2 September 2011
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