MEET THE DESIGNER

A Creative Science

Jason Stalvey is the designer of STALVEY, an exotic skin luxury accessories collection that combines cutting-edge technology, luxury, functionality, and the spirit of the street.

A native of South Carolina, Stalvey had a background in business and worked in neuroscience at Columbia University prior to starting his brand. His path to the accessories business started with the desire to find the perfect alligator skin duffel bag, something he had been searching for for many years. Deciding to create one himself, he soon realized how difficult it was to find suppliers and manufacturers that could produce premium, handcrafted goods in the U.S. With the idea of creating a homegrown American luxury product, he secured a New York-based factory to produce his first sample.

In the fall of 2014, Stalvey partnered with Barneys New York to launch his eponymous line of handbags, proposing a fresh, hybridized vision of classic handcrafted luxury goods imbued with easygoing streetwear vibes. Following the success of the launch, Stalvey collaborated with Lane Crawford for Fall 2015, expanding the brand across their flagship locations throughout Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu.

The brand is best known for its classic handbags rendered in lizard, alligator, and ostrich skins. One of the most iconic recurring styles in the collection is the alligator baseball cap, which epitomizes the brand’s ethos rooted in both luxury and street style. The collection is produced in the top ateliers in the U.S. and Italy.

At the end of 2017, STALVEY launched a 24kt gold capsule collection, a newly-developed process that evokes Jason Stalvey’s previous career in biochemistry. This capsule marks the first time in history that 24kt gold is embedded into exotic skins, a process that took over two years to perfect. This exclusive technology was developed as a partnership with the world’s leading aeronautic laboratory along with the premiere luxury tannery in France.

In a short period of time, STALVEY handbags have been seen on the likes of Beyoncé, Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez, Priyanka Chopra, Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber, Naomi Campbell, and Hailey Baldwin. The brand has been featured in Vogue, W Magazine, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Departures Magazine, The New York Times, Forbes, Robb Report, Town&Country, Buro 24/7, and many others.

MEET THE NEW STANDARD

STALVEY Black Lizard Square Clutch against black background

Are These Super-Expensive Bags the New Hermès?

Since fashion month started, one brand name relentlessly kept popping up in my inbox, and it technically had nothing to do with the catwalk show schedule. Press releases from a handbag label called STALVEY just didn't stop flooding in. And this isn't down to overzealous PR work—this is because today's supermodels (think Gigi Hadid, Kaia Gerber and friends) have got brand-new, ultra-luxe bags, and they aren't afraid to wear them—all the time.

Made in the USA, rendered in exotic skins, celebrating fine craftsmanship and usually coming in at around the £10k mark, it'd be lunacy to tote one just once. But this exclusive club also marks an interesting point in the life cycle of the It bag. For the cool, young luxury consumers out there, it's nice to have something new to add to the regular roster of Hermès Birkin, and Goyard weekender bags.

Visit our press page to continue reading from Who What Wear.

MATERIALS AND AESTHETICS

The source of excellence

Grade I exotic skins, brass metals plated in 24kt gold, individually handcrafted hardware... Because the choice of materials is an essential link in the long chain of processes in manufacturing an exceptional product, STALVEY rigorously selects the materials for its handbags and accessories. Each component, down to the specific skin cuts, is made of a material that has been meticulously selected and constantly re-evaluated to guarantee its functionality and its impeccable aesthetics.

A STALVEY bag starts with the careful selection of Grade I exotic skins. The grade or selection of skins is determined primarily by the number of natural defects in the skin. In alligator leather, a belly cut is always chosen for its soft, pliable skin and tiles. An extra millennium finish is then added to the already classic shiny finish, a finish that only a fraction of the world's reptile tanners can achieve.

The selection of materials used to create each piece of hardware is one that is unrivaled. Each is carefully selected from solid brass and then plated with micron levels of palladium or 24kt gold. They lack a protective layer, which makes them more sensitive in nature, but in turn, increases their levels of preciousness. The end result is finely plated hardware that is then polished and assembled entirely by hand. STALVEY ensures brilliance in every detail.

With a dedication to quality and design, STALVEY handbags create a new, modern statement in an industry that has otherwise been known for its traditional, classical stance. It is our goal to make the once-a-year accessory into an everyday staple.

Expect the unexpected.