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Taking
out the trash. 11:45 PM. Photo: JH.
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This
is an artist’s story. Two artists. Brothers — Steven
and William Ladd, who came to New York from St. Louis. Setting themselves
up in a studio in Brooklyn, they “immersed themselves to create.”
Their objective: to become the world’s greatest handbag and
accessory designers. When I first heard about them, I thought “Hermes,” “Louis
Vuitton,” “Coach.” Uh-uh. Handbags, right? Way
off the mark. Way way off. This is something you’ve never seen
before; nobody’s ever seen before.
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William
and Steven Ladd
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William has
been “speaking with beads” for ten years.
In the last four he started to transform the way beads are used.
At the same time Steven, armed with the skills of a tailor, has “revolutionized” the
art of making a handbag. Except these are not handbags – at
least not the kind you’d see Bill Cunningham observing with
his camera for the New York Times. These are the work of artists,
and therefore: works of art.
Together the brothers create a story with the collections, combining
all of the talents and skills and spending upwards of 300 hours on
each piece. Everything is one of a kind and has its own life. |
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Ladd
bags with their designer boxes |
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The
present collection, “Fire” was born when the two “systematically
eliminated all distractions and toxins from their lives.” They
began a process of documenting that which remained to be purged
(toxicity, poor relationships, frustration, miscommunication
etc).” The process of “therapeutic documentation
led to a ceremony of fire.” These fires were “photographed,
then translated into the handbags through dance gesture and song.”
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Ladd
belts and ties
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I told you, these are nothing like your concept of a handbag. Their work has
already brought them notice from on high. Christian Lacroix saw
it and invited them to collaborate on his Haute Couture in Paris last season.
They have been
invited back to collaborate next season. A curator of the Louvre saw the work
and pronounced them "magnificent." He acquired one for the Louvre’s
permanent collection.
A famous french journalist called the work "treasure" and published
a two-page spread on the boys in Stiletto. The question is: is it art, or is
it a handbag? If you’re a collector, the Ladd’s “handbags” are
ready for a display case in your foyer or your living room. Even each box they
come in is hand-crafted to the point of beauty and perfection. The price reflects
all this: upwards of $20,000. |
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Ladd
belts and ties
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The
Ladds are now showing by appointment only. There are very limited
quantities since they produce everything themselves. The collections
are moving people.
Email dpc@newyorksocialdiary.com to
contact the artists. |
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Ladd
jewelry and accessories boxes |
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