Armed with a collection of second-hand leather jackets, a sewing machine, and a vision, Emily Mahy crafted her first leather handbag on her kitchen table in 2011. Under the label Go Ask Alice, Mahy grew her business and expanded her range.
After almost a decade in the industry, Mahy made the decision to revisit her branding to better align it with her values and purpose. The connection Mahy has to her craft runs deep and led to the decision to rebrand as MAHY.
MAHY handbags are designed with functionality and longevity from handpicked hides sourced from local suppliers. Each MAHY handbag is handcrafted with a focus on slow, considered fashion with each design inspired by influential female figures in history.
The MAHY SS23 collection is inspired by photographer Guy Bourdin, who is known for his stylised and provocative images. The collection is bold and colourful, with hyper-realism, cropped compositions, and colour saturation key themes throughout.
“Think fake grass, vivid pastels, block colour, playful surrealism. I wanted this collection to be bold and lively but also playful and light-hearted,” said Mahy.
I wanted this collection to be bold and lively but also playful and light-hearted
The collection is made from corrected grain leather in a lively colour palette. The even and consistent finish emphasises the hyper-real theme more than organic raw leather would. New to the SS23 collection is the use of the black and gold logo label which adds contrast to the designs.
While black and muted colours have featured heavily in previous collections, the MAHY SS23 collection offers a brand new range of colour and style options that add a touch of playfulness to outfits whilst seamlessly fitting a number of different aesthetics.
“I have noticed my customers being more experimental with colour and less inclined to go with the default black handbag. So I’ve reflected this shift in the colourful hues of this collection.”
Being a slow fashion business, sustainability lies at the heart of the operation. The bags are crafted in-house at the MAHY workshop in Onehunga, using materials from local suppliers. A focus for the SS23 collection has been on packaging. MAHY forgoes the use of plastic to champion sustainable and recyclable packaging options.
Mahy cherishes the designs she makes, from conception to completion, but believes the Nina crossbody is the standout design from the SS23 collection. Based on the popular Janis bag, Nina fills the gap of a medium-sized bag with timeless elegance.
For more information or to become a stockist, email emily@mahy.co.nz or visit www.mahy.co.nz.
