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Business (April--May 2009)

Making a Fashion Statement with Alligator Leather

By Tan Chee Teik

 
Making a Fashion Statement with Alligator Leather

HENG LEONG







Products made from Heng Long's hides.

L
ADIES like to look elegant when they are wearing expensive goods made from crocodilian leather. CH Koh says: “The branded handbag is a reflection of the status of the person. In the classic category, ladies keep the handbags for generations and believe that the value will go up. Many ladies buy crocodilian products such as briefcases, belts, or shoes for their husbands as well.”
       In the classic category, the first handbag is always black, later they will want to own coloured crocodilian bags. Black is not the best leather as they are dyed in dark colours if the initial dyeing is not of the required standard. In the luxury category, the goods do not change much over time. CH Koh has this definition of luxury goods by a friend: “Luxury items are like a glass of water in the desert—everyone wants to have it but not all can have it.”
       CT Koh remembers seeing a handbag at the Hèrmes factory in France that came with diamonds on the flaps. It retailed for 130,000 Euros. His advice to women is to decide what you want to use for casual or formal occasions. Expensive handbags are useful for day functions while for formal cocktails, you may want to carry a small pouch.
       Many fashion houses recommend colours to suit the four seasons. For example, the Gucci bag changes its design according to the season. The colour in vogue now is gray and blue.

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