September 24, 2021 |
As a graduate of New York’s infamous art and fashion university Parsons, Steven Ma recently launched his London-based leather accessories label and is already making noise across the fashion sphere. The designer grew his love for leather shoes and bags from a young age and believes that the shoes you wear and the bag you hold make a statement like no other. His dream is to create designs that are attractive yet functional and timeless, and now he is finally making his dreams a reality.
“It was always my dream to launch my own brand about leather goods and more specifically bags and shoes,” says Ma. “Since I graduated from Parsons, I wanted to gain further design experience and knowledge on luxury management as well as having enough time to develop my collection based on the elements of high quality, craftsmanship, timelessness and the use of new technologies whilst being design-focused.”
With great admiration for high-craft and quality products, Steven Ma has utilized advanced and diverse technologies to craft a luxury range of leather goods unlike no other. “I’ve used 3D printing for my bags in order to create unique and structural silhouettes. Iridescent leather is used in the Stacked Heel Boots, which will change texture and colour over time through use. Natural minerals and stones are hand-cut and polished, then mounted into our signature pentagonal-shaped clasps on our bags and other minerals are encased in resin, becoming the heels of our Prism Heels,” he says.
With a go big or go home mentality always at the fore, Steven Ma called upon renowned fashion editor and stylist Ellie Grace Cummings to be the artistic director of his namesake label. Graphic designer Paul Hetherington created the logo and Machine-A’s Stavros Karelis, Ma’s partner, has been a mentor to the young designer. Emerging art director Simon B Morch has been tapped for artistic campaigns whilst Steven’s good friends Chu and Dominik are the faces of the brand’s first-ever campaign, keeping it close to home.
Working with Cummings has been nothing short of amazing for Steven, mentioning his long-held admiration for her: “I admired her work hugely for a long time and some of her work was in my very first moodboard. We have been sharing ideas since the beginning of the collection, from the colour choices to the aesthetics of the products, collaborations with artists and of course the campaign. I am thrilled and so grateful to have her on my board! People in the industry like Ellie, Stavros and many others, who help and support emerging designers and businesses give us so much strength and encouragement to continue chasing after our dreams.”
So what’s next for the designer? “We want to grow organically as a brand and to connect with customers, stores and others who appreciate young designers and new luxury.” Keep your eye on Steven Ma, he’s a name to remember.
Photography by Dominik Sadoch. Model: Chu Wong
