August 18, 2008
Profiles
Fleet Ilya's leather bags go from practical to provocative. By Kelley Hoffman

It's said that good things come in 3s, and Fleet Ilya's leather accessory tri-line is no exception. Launching its first season as three separate lines, Classic, Concept, and Restraint each focuses on a different design objective. "The Classic is a timeless ready-to-wear line. The Concept line is an area for me to experiment with the bizarre and surreal, these pieces have a couture outlook on accessory design. The Restraint is luxury bondage," explains designer Ilya Fleet, who, along with co-art director Resha Sharma, make up the London-based label.

While the lines may reflect different levels of play, what ties them together is a basic palette of mostly blacks, browns, and whites, as well as a clean construction. Fleet studied under a master leather craftsman and saddler, and combines this traditional training with exquisite designs pushing the limits of functionality and structure. Fall marks the first inclusion of bag designs in Classic, and combined with the statement-making corsets in Concept, and the harnesses seen in Restraint, this label surely proves it can work itself from the briefcase to the ball or bedroom.
For more information and availability, go to www.fleetilya.com.
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