Eric Petersen, a native of Toronto’s Scarborough suburb, has always been fascinated by flashy and shiny things, including his mother’s jewelry and handbags when he was growing up.
Petersen studied goldsmithing at George Brown College and graduated in 2008. He won the Louis Frankian Jewellers Award in his last year for his exceptional use of diamonds in his work. He went on to produce jewelry to protest violence and help a community organization.
Petersen decided that although he enjoyed working in jewelry, he would prefer to design luxury handbags and collaborate with a team who could help him bring his ideas to life. He began to use his jewelry-making skills to create gem-studded handbags.
To Petersen, handbags are oversized pieces of jewelry. He is fascinated by the designs, process, and craftsmanship that go into creating each piece.
Petersen and his collaborator, Marko Neofotistos, created samples that caught the attention of a former manager at Toronto’s Louis Vuitton store. That person encouraged him to study leatherworking in Europe to improve his craft.
He went to Florence in 2013 because of the city’s reputation as a center for production of accessories. He visited tanneries, learned from artisans who specialized in hardware and handbag manufacturing, and formed a production team.
While he was studying in Florence, Petersen created two leather handbags and one hard-case evening clutch in family-run factories. His Skyline clutch sample was made from a flat piece of sheet metal that he soldered into a handbag.
Petersen strives to create unique handbags for stylish women who like to stand out from the crowd. His luxury bags are made from gold-plated brass and the finest quality French and Italian leathers.
Petersen sells his handbags privately to a select group of affluent women and expects them to be sold more widely soon. He also plans to create a line of hard-case clutches and eventually eyewear, belts, jewelry, fragrances, and possibly footwear.
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