PARIS, FRANCE- The Lacino executive team Tracy Saab and Vincent Cuvelier.
their custom bejeweled leather bowties are crafted with the technicality of the automotive industry, and are unlike anything on the market
While leather bowties aren’t something new they are unique, offering a different texture to a menswear look. Lacino, a luxury menswear brand based in Paris is known for its leather goods. Founded in 2019 by its President, Vincent Cuvelier, both he and his Associate and Managing Partner Tracy Saab pull on their strengths to create unique leather luxury products. The duo has created something so unique, a brand that combines the sensuality of the automotive industry and the long-lasting essence of luxury goods.
“The name and the inspiration started in 2018 by Vincent,” says Saab. “Passionate about cars and accessories for men, Vincent wanted to create a product that could combine the alliance and the material of luxury and sport in a unique and timeless jewel for men, which is the bow tie. From the very beginning the concept has been to create a unique and extraordinary jewel that differentiates the man from everyone else.”
“Once the idea was made and the product was created according to the desired standards, that was in 2021, and Tracy became familiar with the product, she then fell in love with it,” states Cuvelier. “With a background fashion and luxury business, she directly saw the potential and agreed to join the Lacino house in order to develop the brand together towards a promising future, and start a path towards derivatives of products other than the bow tie such as leather goods and commercial products. These products give the House an advantage and additional access to the global market through the alliance of carbon, leather, and precious stones connecting to the automobile and the Lacino product.”
Before the launch of the brand Cuvelier was a graduate of the faculty of physics and industrial engineering in Strasbourg, France. Working in energy and industrial sectors, he worked in various companies as a project manager, consultant, or business manager on the creating and design of automobiles. “The design of a complete project is something that I acquired for many years and knew by versatility how to acquire superior skills through my perseverance and determination,” says Cuvelier.
Saab studied at the International Fashion Academy in Paris, specializing in model making and styling. Working for several French couture houses, as well as working abroad in ready-to-wear and in luxury leather goods on collections and fashion weeks, helped her develop in the technical field, but also in the know-how of creating collections. “I knew how to learn from the richness of each culture and created a strength for the vision of all the projects I undertook,” muses Saab.
A Lebanese heritage
The duo is both Lebanese but Cuvelier grew up in France. The Lebanese are known for their creative pursuits in fashion, particularly in couture. I wonder if this has a factor in their own creativity, that they come from a heritage of gifted Lebanese talent. “Today we appreciate our double Franco-Lebanese culture. But it is true that we hear a lot nowadays about this wave of success from many Lebanese in the world. And it is true that the pride of our origins despite the current situations at home, makes us all prouder. However, despite this culture and this way of life that we have acquired over time, we are both also grateful to France, our adoptive mother who raised us from a very young age and enriched us through its education and culture,” says Saab. “The motivation is the fact of creating products that are recognized by connoisseurs; a legacy, not only of work and knowledge acquired and mastered,” chimes in Cuvelier.
What are these bowties you speak of?
There are many luxury menswear brands in all international markets, why did Cuvelier and Saab think they could tell a different story to what’s out there, even with the bowtie? The current world is indeed saturated by the quantity of things and copies that we see everywhere. Lacino has sought to distinguish itself on its two product lines through its history, its creation, and its attachment to the environment,” they stress.
The Lacino bowtie.
“The bow tie, common to all and which today exists in several derivatives shows us that man and time are re-familiarizing themselves with the authenticity of masculine elegance. The Lacino house bow tie reflects this idea but pushes to create an authentic accessory for the reminder of its time, but also by a jewel that will give men the same choice as women to wear their own diamond, their own gem.”
Lacino custom bejeweled leather bowties are crafted with the technicality of the automotive … [+]
Continuing, “the bow tie apart from its noble and unique materials is linked to the strong and sporty character of the automobile and to the sobriety of the chic look of the man. It’s worn close to the neck under the collar of his shirt and is held by a collar in untreated full-grain calfskin with a closing technique linked to that of the watch. It is also for the brand a lasting personal investment over time, working with pure gold and GIA-certified diamonds, the jewel gains value over time and is transformed like a jeweler to be stored in its safe. This is why today we differ from other bow tie identities, we are currently today the most expensive bow tie in the world.”
The brand creates other leather good products that highlight the sensuality of the automotive … [+]
Bowties are custom-made combining the technicality of the automotive industry and the elegance of the fashion and jewelry industries. Using precious stones and rare metals, each bowtie is then created after a car collection. “The diamonds in the bow tie are GIA certified. Designed as a “Work of Art”, it is associated with a unique collar in full grain calfskin with natural pigmentation,” says Saab.
“Collector cars had their first customers during the Roaring Twenties, lovers of luxury products and “have you seen me” with their young ladies, they developed an exceptional taste for unique leather and quality bodywork. Today the Lacino house selects these primary materials to bring up to date an exclusive combination for the request of the male,” explains Cuvelier.
The craftsmanship of Lacino products are done in France and Italy and the Lacino jewel is designed in the south of France. “We work the raw materials for the construction of the bases of the bow tie in our own workshops. The finishing of the jewel by the laying of the diamonds is done by our diamond dealer,” says Saab. And the leather goods are assembled in their workshops, and by their craftsmen in Italy. “Our craftsmen are chosen with precision and over a long time, in order to find the one who will be accompanied by us with our requirements of cleanliness and quality of work and respect for the very meticulous specifications that we make available,” states Cuvelier.
Each product is carefully crafted.
Cuvelier and Saab are clear that their leather products are different to anything on the market in luxury menswear. It’s the automotive designed products made with calfskin leather; the same leather luxury cars are made with, the color palettes of the products that are only available in luxury cars from: Ducati gray, Porsche Chalk gray, chestnut, Bugatti and others; the carbon fiber buckles that are made in the Lacino workshop in the south of France; and they select their leathers on site. “This allows us to obtain our “metal free” certification while respecting environmental restrictions, and the “compliant with requirements” marking of European technical harmonization legislation,” says Cuvelier.
With leather bags also a part of the House, they are keeping busy with bags and bowties. Lacino will be soon available at luxury stores in Europe and the Middle East and is currently accessible via lacino.fr.