Iriarte Iriarte

Iriarte Iriarte is a shop/studio/atelier of leatherwork in Barcelona. It’s ran by Carolina Iriarte, who makes the bags, belts, wallets and other leather products by hand on site. She also completely manages the business, is her own PR manager and all that. The place is set up on two floors - the current collection is on display on the ground floor, and overlooking is a tiny mezzanine where she works at a sturdy desk.

The first time I went, Carolina immediately noticed my bag - one I found in my grandmother’s old stuff. She was so friendly - as soon as I entered the store, she put down her work, came down the steps and chatted and explained things about the bags. I made a mental note to do more research and come back for an interview - and so today I did! A big thank you to Carolina for a nice chat.

Carolina moved to Barcelona about three years ago from Argentina. She first came to visit at 18, and called her mother saying she loves it and is staying for good. In the end, she went back and completed a degree in art with a focus on theatre direction and production, counting days till she can move. Her sister was already in Barcelona. The two started working together on the project.

Marta: Not only is your shop also your studio, but you often hold events here.
Carolina: Yes, I like to have stuff happening. The space has only been open for a year - we’re having a big party coming up to celebrate this in about two weeks. Before we had a concert - I have many friends who make music, and a collection presentation - a very elaborate one, almost a performance. A number of people were dressed up and doing different things around the store, there was a bride with a bouquet of flowers, people going up and down the stairs, sort of like playing little scenes.

M: How did you find this place? According to the Sight Unseen article on Iriarte Iriarte, ‘fate intervened’.
C: No, not really; we were looking for a place to work. And this one became free..
M: Was the district of Born a conscious choice?
C: Yes, this is traditionally an artisan street, and though I don’t really think of myself in these terms, it’s a commercial area with nice little streets, people walk around here a lot.

M: Another article said it was unpopular for young people to pick up traditional trades, like yours - so you are close to a traditional artisan in a way.
C: Well, yes, it’s all handmade, it’s a pretty traditional material. Before I worked on shoes as well, but now I have no time, so I concentrate on bags. I did make two dresses for this collection, too - they’re not in store, but there are some photos on the website. I might make more, but at the moment, I do everything, literally everything myself. That means I basically have no life of my own!

M: What was it about Barcelona that initially made you so keen to stay?
C: First of all, my sister was here, but I also found an art school which seemed amazing, and it became my ultimate dream to go there. Then when I came back, already with a degree, I enrolled and it was completely not what I was expecting. I did a year there, before I started with this project, and by now I’m pretty sure I won’t be going back.
M: And so you learned to make purses and other things yourself?
C: Pretty much, yeah, I started cutting things out of paper, seeing how they would look in 3D.
M: That’s totally incredible, especially that all your designs look like you are working against a strong tradition, modifying old patterns.
C: My mum is a complete fanatic when it comes to shoes and purses, and so am I. So I always bought loads of purses, usually vintage ones because I rarely liked contemporary ones. I’d pay attention to the type of leather, the colours and all..
M: Is it true your bags are inspired by the schoolbags you used to have in British school in Buenos Aires?
C (laughs): Not entirely. I did have an old school schoolbag, but a lot of my inspiration comes from films. I love old films. 30s films, where they have a lot of leather stuff, luggage and things.. But not necessarily bags themselves, I find a whole film’s aesthetic inspiring. Like Truffaut. A bit Nazi, a bit naive.
M: So what are you planning on next for Iriarte Iriarte?
C: I’d like to have more exposure for the dresses. I made two models that are sort of similar, but really very different. A girl who was interning here helped me with the making of them. I used to make my own clothes when I was younger, my mum gave me a sewing machine for Christmas when I was 15 or 16.. But those are part of the collection, it’s a totally different thing. I prefer making bags, though. I do everything by hand, including dyeing the leather, that’s why no two bags have the exact same colour. But I do it with special dyes, so that the colour won’t run when it’s raining. Everything is done here, in the studio.
M: In plain view of everyone!
C: Yes, but I see them, too! I can see whoever comes into the shop, observe from above. I have a panoramic view (laughs).
M: Going back to the leather, does it bother you that it’s an animal product?
C: It does! I’m vegetarian. It’s a weird contradiction, that I like working with leather most. I try to justify it, it’s still more eco-friendly than plastic bags, and the product is long lasting. The animal is not killed for the skin, it’s killed for the meat that someone else will eat, and I just use the skin and give it a beautiful form..
M: Did you think of making vegan products as well?
C: I did, I’d love to, in the future - right now I’m struggling to keep up with the work I already have, and to make the effort worth the prices. But it’s certainly something I’d like to do.
M: Do you sell a lot?
C: I don’t need another job, so I guess I sell enough! I like making things, so it’s great I can live off it.
M: How did you get so much good press? New York Times, The Guardian...
C: By complete coincidence! The editors just happened to come by. Nothing is definite, but I might get retailers in America, Sweden, maybe London.
M: Not Argentina?
C: They love my bags there, but it’s super expensive with shipping, and people work more but earn a lot less there.
M: Would you say you make things in a specific style?
C: Everyone interprets it their own way. I thought it would be a more defined public, but in the end it’s all sorts of people, I regularly have old grandmas come into the store and ooh and aah over the bags. That surprised me a lot! But when I design, I always make things that I like, I don’t think of any target audience.
M: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start their own business?
C: To actually do it! If you have an idea, act on it. It’s always scary, you don’t know if you’ll have enough money, if it’ll all work out, or that it will be hard at the beginning. But once you’ve done it, you’ve done it, it’s something you want to do. It certainly gave me a feeling of being independent and free.
M: Working with leather is a traditional trade, and a male trade, too. Also, 50 years ago it wold be unthinkable for a woman to just open a studio and run it herself. Do you think about what you do in a feminist perspective?
C: It’s true, working with a hammer and tough material that hurts your hands, it’s supposed to be male work. It’s not my primary motive, but yes, I do think about it.

At this point a woman walks into the store. Carolina greets her and tells her to have a look, points to the bags that can be made in different colours within two weeks. The woman walks around, looks at various bags and asks if that’s the only store in Barcelona selling these.

M: Does this make your bags even more special? That each one is unique and you can’t buy them anywhere else?
C: Also because of what we already talked about, that it’s all handmade, and I make it all here, in a studio open to everyone. That creates some sort of trust, and you can always come back here, see the progress of the work.
M: It was mentioned in one of the articles that you design ‘the old way’.
C: Well, the forms really aren’t that traditional. It’s a long way from design to finished product. I think about the whole collection first, how I want it to look all together. Then the making process, I guess that’s traditional, they’re made the same way they were being made before.
M: And you draw inspiration from toys, too?
C: Yes: toys, old cars, also military uniforms.
M: A bit Nazi, a bit naive. A vegetarian, but working with leather.
C (laughs): I never thought I was so extreme!

M: Do you take a siesta?
C: The store officially closes from 2pm to 4pm, more or less. I sometimes go home to eat, but mostly run errands. The siesta phenomenon surprised me a lot when I first moved, I would go out wanting to get something done only to realize everything was closed for a few hours in the day..
M: And do you still travel a lot?
C: Yes! Then the store is closed, but travelling inspires me a lot - people, architecture, everything. I might go to Berlin this summer, my friend just moved there, and she’s not totally settled, but I’d really love to go, I adore Berlin.
M: Favourite place to visit?
C: Berlin! And Lisbon. I like Portugal a lot, my boyfriend is Portuguese.
M: Dream journey?
C: Russia and China! On one of those five-day trains. I’d like to see somewhere that’s completely different in terms of language, people, culture - a total change.
M: Do you think you’ll stay in Barcelona for a while? Or are you sometimes tempted to go back to Argentina?
C: Argentina - not right now. I’m definitely not going to stay in Barcelona forever. I’d love to try Berlin, and maybe before that Madrid - I like it, and I think I could easily continue what I’m doing; people respect efforts like that over there.
M: Any chances for an online shop?
C: I hope so! I just can’t seem to take photos that are accurate enough. A friend of mine who does all the photos for me is great, but it’s not the kind of picture you need for an online shop. I sell stuff through email sometimes. But it would be easier if there was a ‘buy now’ button on the website. And also, it wouldn’t be the same thing - it’s so satisfying to see people come into the shop, find something they like, and see their faces light up. It’s a wonderful feeling.

You can find Iriarte Iriarte at the atelier (C/ Esquirol N°1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain), or online (official website / facebook).

All photos, save for the first and the last, are Carolina's. Thank you!