Why a belt? 

The Alice Walk team is so excited to introduce a belt into our AW Essentials line! Over the past several years of styling Alice Walk pieces, we were always in search of a classic, well-made belt and could never find the perfect one that combined a timeless style with interesting detailing. Instead of continuing the search, we decided to just create our own! The end result is a beautiful, high-quality belt, in your choice of Oxford Blue, Tuscan Red, or Chestnut, that will pair just as well with Alice Walk pieces as with the rest of your wardrobe. Here is a glimpse into the process that brought our designs to life!

 made in Italy

When considering which manufacturers we wanted to work with, the first place that came to mind was Italy. Italy has such a rich and storied history of leatherworking, and we couldn’t imagine a better country in which to bring our belt to life. We knew we wanted a classic braided leather style with a quintessential gold buckle, so we set out to find manufacturers that would help bring our vision to life. The manufacturers we chose for the braid, buckle, and construction of the belt all hail from the northern region of Italy. These manufacturers are all family-owned, with decades of experience in their respective crafts. They demand the highest quality in material, craftsmanship, and style, and are all inspired by their Italian roots. Additionally, each manufacturer prides itself on managing their production chains internally. This means that all the pieces of our belt are 100% made in Italy, by craftsmen who are highly skilled and committed to producing timeless and durable leather pieces. 

our materials

While we wanted to produce a belt that was stylish, we also wanted to keep the belt’s environmental footprint as small as possible. We were able to do so by selecting eco-friendly materials that would allow us to create our ideal belt while still respecting the environment.

The braids of our belts are constructed with bonded leather. This is a regenerated form of leather that mimics standard leather, entirely avoiding the use of any animal products. Bonded leather is also dyed using only non-toxic components, which makes them safer for the wearer. The tips of the belt are made of cowhide that is a byproduct of the meat industry, and this leather is vegetable-tanned. Vegetable tanning is an artisan tradition in Tuscany, one that has been passed down through the generations. Leather that is vegetable-tanned matures without becoming ruined, giving the leather a brilliant warm shade that contains no toxic substances. Our buckle manufacturer helped us bring our sketches to life, using a gold flash technique to create the rich, smooth and shiny gold finish we were envisioning.

Thanks for learning a bit about the design and sourcing process behind our first belt! We hope you enjoy!

xx,
The Alice Walk Team