Discover Shagreen!

This week we announced the arrival of our stunning new Shagreen Ivy’s. To celebrate we wanted to take you all on a journey to discover the rich history behind this beautifully luxurious material that we’ve all come to know and love. We just know learning more about your beautiful bags will bring you even more joy, while you wear them with pride and love. So, make room in your collection for some opulence as we explore Shagreen.

Genuine shagreen is typically the natural hide of stingray but sharks or dogfish can also be used. The leather’s shimmering dappled effect is one of delicate elegance, that can be adapted for many uses… handbags of course being particularly beautiful. This type of leather is highly coveted material, not only for its intriguing pattern but its physical strength too.

In recent years, the use of real shagreen has fallen out of popularity due to the environmental concerns of using the skins of such rare animals. However, it’s not to worry as exquisite replicas can be made using genuine leather and an impressive embossing technique. With such a rich and unique texture, it is easy to see why the faux shagreen takes such craftsmanship to make. Faux shagreen is often more durable due to its use of vinyl to recreate the feel of the natural hide, an added bonus of the man-made material.

Historically recognised for its splendour, shagreen has always signified sophistication and luxury. Its earliest use is thought to have been by the Japanese to decorate armour and weaponry, in the middle ages. The natural grip and cushioning it provided was also of huge benefit to the Samurais.

Towards the 16^th century this traditional use expanded quickly across Europe into domestic items like embellished furniture and personal trinkets. Once again, the shagreen made a resurgence with the rise of the Art Deco Movement and designers Jean Michel Frank and Clement Rousseau. The material has since remained sprinkled throughout the world of luxury.

The faux shagreen used to make our beautifully versatile bags, has the exceptional leather quality of our full grain collection but offers a glamorous new pattern to adorn your collection with.

Find your own piece of exotic luxury today with the elegant, enigmatic shagreen bags and accessories Sarah Haran has to offer. Whichever items you decide to make your own, you’ll soon learn that once you start accessorising with shagreen, it becomes rather hard to stop…