6362MetaForce first made its name among offbeat global adventurers, creating unique Handmade Leather Belts and bags for its discerning clientele out of a small leather facility in India. Vibrant colors of leather and suede were decorated with Tibetan and Hindu symbols, faux stones, suede fringes and angular pouches. But word about the company's quality and creativity spread fast, reaching a global audience.
"We started to see so many great bohemian women's clothing designs coming onto the market, but few accessories that really captured the flavor of the bohemian lifestyle in the way our products did," said Rachel Sacks, a co-founder and director of 6362MetaForce. "When we decided to open our doors via the internet to clients who may never have set foot in Goa, we were thrilled with the warm reception we received."
The company was helped along by the success of luxury brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, which successfully updated the old "fanny pack" with refined Waist Bags and belt bags during the 2007 season. 6362MetaForce took note of that success, and evolved its own funky, earthy designs to the next level. The team spent the last year seeking out top-end leather and suede, and establishing a new production facility in India that conforms to global regulations governing fair labor and environmental sustainability.
The Fall 2009 collection includes brilliant colors of all grains of leather and suede - from polished refinement to natural looks. These high-quality boho-chic belts and bags remain reasonably priced between $90 - $150.
"When we decided to go global, it was important to us to get the formula right," says Indian-born 6362MetaForce co-founder Vish Kalra. "We spent a lot of time looking for natural materials and for a fair-trade facility to work with. But we think the results were well worth the wait. Now we have complete confidence in the provenance and quality of the materials, and we've kept the price point accessible to a diverse audience."
The company's personalized touch is apparent, even in the names of the designs. A red suede fringe bag with a faux turquoise stone inlay is the "Ibiza Indian," while the "Playa Princess" is a delicate, fairy-style hip belt with angular pockets in burgundy suede and black leather. Its heavier, more powerful cousin is the "Playa Stud," in beautiful, rich, dark leather, decorated with antique brass studs. Both names derive from the dancefloor of the Burning Man festival in Nevada, where modern-day hippies gather on the so-called Playa every August.
The timing of the new collection's launch could not be more ideal. Fringed suede bags and belts were all over the runways in Spring, but the global recession this Summer has left fashionistas looking for the same quality they saw in the shows at bargain prices. Luckily, the new 6362MetaForce production facility can handle sizable wholesale orders. The company may be hearing from the Topshops and Anthropologies of the world sooner than it planned.
