DESIGNER HIGHLIGHT: KIKA NY

KikaNY designs for the consumer on the move. Simplicity, longevity and practicality are the main focus in each design.

Kika and Sabine design and craft all of their leather goods in their Brooklyn studio. 
TRUNK asked a few questions about their process and inspiration...

Trunk: Where are you from?
Kika / Sabine: We are both from the Netherlands

Trunk: What inspires you? 
Kika / Sabine: Can be anything unexpected!  But most of the time it’s related to

nature, Brooklyn streets, architecture anywhere in the world.

Trunk: What is your creative background? 
Kika / Sabine: Before KikaNY we were a both documentary film makers. Kika was a film director and Sabine was a film editor. Our entire lives have been about visuals really. Sometimes it surprise us what comes out, it can be related to something we saw many years ago.

Trunk: Being so international, where in the world do you draw most of your inspiration from? Kika / Sabine: The people in Brooklyn & Manhattan. The people on the streets, subways, bikes and cars. What they wear and what they need in terms of devices, bags, footwear. New Yorkers figure it out quick running around all day in extreme hot summers, cold winters, long commutes.

Nobody wants to waist time.


Trunk: What music if any do you put on when you are creating? 
Kika / Sabine: Missy Elliot, Bach, NPR

Trunk: What materials do you use and where do they come from? 
Kika / Sabine: All of our leather comes from Italy and our hardware from England.

Some of our leather comes from Horween, an amazing tannery in Chicago.

Trunk: What is it about leather that interests you so much? 
Kika / Sabine: You can shape it the way you want it. Its very touchable, it last for a long time and keeps on changing. It becomes really your personal item because of using it.

Trunk: What is your favorite detail on your designs?
Kika / Sabine: The shape and the finishing touch is the best!!

Trunk: How do you make your designs work so well for both men and women?
Kika / Sabine: Whenever we design something we never think of it as a man or a woman bag, belt or sandal. We work like we design a chairs, it should function for everyone.