Having been longtime admirers of each other’s work, designer duo Esther and Dimitrios Tsatsas and Kostas Murkudis met for the first time in Paris in 2021. There was strong chemistry between the three and the idea of working on a common project was born very soon. The collaboration should be in-depth, in order to create something truly exceptional that would not have been possible apart from this structure.
They began to meet regularly and developed a variety of ideas, tested materials and finally crystalized a central topic that fascinated and challenged them: The contrast between density and transparency. SESSION 01 was born, a collection of garments and bags crafted of Scandinavian calfskin and delicate French lace.
With Kostas as an experienced fashion designer and Esther and Dimitrios as founders of leather bag brand TSATSAS, all pieces of the collection are masterfully constructed by the three designers down to the smallest detail. The choice of leather was an obvious one, given Esther’s and Dimitrios’ background in Germany’s leather capital of Offenbach/Main. The designers agreed, however, to juxtapose the calfskin with a certain lightness, transparency and delicacy – and so came the French lace.
Manufactured in the town of Caudry, France, in a family business with more than 130 years of tradition, the cotton lace is a visual and tactile experience. And in combination with the natural soft surface of the leather, the delicate look and feel of the lace is even more special. As a by-product of the meat industry from cattle raised in Scandinavia, the calfskin is tanned in Sweden by one of the most innovative tanneries worldwide. The whole collection is handcrafted in Germany in the family-owned leather workshop of TSATSAS, lovingly made by hand with great skill and dexterity.
In addition to these materials, another key feature of SESSION 01 is the versatility of each piece. The exceptional cuts of the dresses and tops were created to offer two possibilities of wearing the piece, depending on the preferences of the wearer by allowing the front and back to be variably turned. So each dress and top can be worn back-to-front, depending on which part of the body should be covered or accentuate by leather or lace. A line of bags complements SESSION 01 with exceptional designs, defining the use of materials in new ways.
