French luxury leather house Moynat brings whimsy and artistic flair to the holiday season through an unexpected partnership with renowned Japanese graphic designer Kazumasa Nagai. The Holiday 2024 collection transforms Moynat’s refined leather goods into canvases for Nagai’s imaginative animal kingdom.
The collaboration showcases Nagai’s distinctive style across a range of luxurious accessories, from passport cases, card holders, notebook covers and bag charms to the signature Duo BB bag. His charming menagerie – including a lion, monkey and whale shark – adds personality to Moynat’s traditionally understated aesthetic.
“Animals come in all shapes and varieties,” Nagai explained of his creative approach. “I didn’t draw them realistically. They were all from my world expressed in a simple way with a sense of curiosity and cuteness.”
The legendary designer, known for creating iconic logos for Japan Railways and the 1972 Sapporo Olympics, brought his meticulous attention to detail to this project. “The skills of Moynat’s artisans are truly exceptional,” noted Nagai, praising how “the animals have been integrated into the bags, passport and card holders feel so lively.”
Moynat’s artisans faced the technical challenge of translating Nagai’s precise illustrations onto leather while maintaining their artistic integrity. The resulting pieces, which range in price from €300 euros for small leather goods to €1,800 euros for a top-handle Duo BB bag, represent a harmonious blend of French craftsmanship and Japanese design sensibility.
The collection marks a fascinating chapter for Moynat, the luxury brand founded in 1849, revived by Bernard Arnault in 2011, and currently under the stewardship of the family-owned Groupe Arnault. While the house typically emphasizes understated elegance, this collaboration demonstrates its willingness to embrace playful sophistication.
Fashionistas can find these distinctive pieces at select Moynat boutiques. According to reports, Moynat may expand the Nagai collaboration in December, when Dover Street Market Ginza is expected to introduce an additional line of exclusive leather goods.
