08/08/08 - Considered by many to be a magical number - and the date when the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will begin.  In honor of the games, we are highlighting the exquisite lacquer products we carry, and the highly skilled and talented Chinese artisans who make them.

Laquer has a long and rich tradition in Asia.  It has been produced since prehistoric times as a compound to protect and decorate a wide array of objet d'art and furniture.

Laquer is produced from urushi (the Japanese name for the plant,) and is collected as milky sap from the trees.  The tree is in the same family as sumac, poison ivy and oak, mango and cashew.  After the sap is collected, it is stirred, heated, filtered and stored for later use. 

All of our lacquer products are made of solid hardwoods.  The lacquer is applied to the wood in very thin layers and each layer cures for a day or longer.  It is then polished and another layer is applied.  Then the process is repeated until the artisan is satisfied with the finish.  The production of lacquered objects is a painstaking process involving many steps and often a series of craftsmen.  And an important note: many modern pieces are never touched by human hands - the lacquer is applied by machines.  Our pieces have all been through a hand-poured process.  This accounts for the extreme smoothness and beauty of the products.

Lacquer hardens as a result of a chemical reaction, that can only take place in the presence of high humidity.  The resulting material is hard and durable, and resistant to water, acids, scratches and heat.  In fact, high quality lacquer is so durable that some lacquerware has been recovered from archaeological excavations and underwater sites - still in good condition.

Individual pieces of lacquer can take years to produce.  And because of its value at one time lacquerware was restricted to certain classes in China, Japan and Korea, and its production was regulated by the state.

Our luxury lacquerware pieces are designed by John Kauphusman and Tin Wong.  And John and Tin own the production facility in China that produces their exquisite hand-poured lacquer pieces.  We are very proud to carry their custom pieces, made in the centuries old tradition.

Sometimes we discover a line of products, so unique - so special, that we are (momentarily) speechless.  Then our speech returns with a vengeance, and we want to tell everyone about our find.

That's how we felt when we came across the stunning natural bovine horn items made by the artisans for De Renaudin.  Whether we're admiring the jewelry, the fabulous serving utensils, or the wonderful wine bar accessories; we are amazed by the quality of the craftsmanship and the quality of the natural horn.

De Renaudin employs horn experts who travel the world in search of the finest quality bovine horns.  Their collection  is mainly found in selected areas of South America and Europe.  And these specialists make sure that no harm is ever done to any of the animals.

In fact, one of the reasons we chose to carry De Renaudin products (beside the fact that they're gorgeous) is that the company is dedicated to protecting endangered species; and thereby uses only eco-friendly by-products.  And the use of natural bovine horn is a luxurious substitute for elephant ivory and tortoiseshell.

The artisans use four different techniques to create the jewelry and accessories.  They cut to get slices of the horn, laminate to get the thickness, sand to get the shape, and finally polish in order to achieve the beautiful satin finish. 

The unique, exotic beauty of natural bovine horn has been recognized by the world's most prestigious fashion houses; and De Renaudin has designed special collections for a number of renowned designers, including Yves Saint Laurent, Emanuel Ungaro, John Galliano and Pierre Balmain-Oscar de la Renta.

Go into most any museum and chances are you'll find antiquities (jewelry, combs, boxes) made from natural horn.  Mystical beliefs about natural bovine horn go back to the Middle Ages.  In fact, legend has it that bovine horn brings good luck to its bearer - think about the spiritual Horn of Plenty.  

We can't state that wearing our natural horn choker will bring you luck; or using the handsome cheese servers, or bottle stoppers, will make your life magical.  But we can state that you will be thrilled with the beauty and singularity of any of our De Renaudin products.  (Find these luxe items in Tabletop,  Jewelry,  Gifts For The Hostess,  Gifts For Men,  Bar Ware and  Wine Bottle Stoppers.)

Nubia - the name itself has a mystical, romantic ring to it. 

Nubia - a land of mythology and legend - the land that today is located in southern Egypt and northern Sudan, where the people still refer to themselves as Nubian.  

It's a beautiful, but hard land, with one of the harshest climates on earth: high temperatures throughout the year - infrequent rainfall.  But it's also a land of strikingly attractive people - people who come from  Africa's earliest black culture.  In fact, many archaeologists today say that Nubia may have been the "cradle of African civilization."

In ancient times, Nubia was a land of great natural wealth: gold mines, ebony, ivory and incense.  Today it is a very different story.   As you travel "up the Nile" (which takes you into southern Egypt) the banks of the river become more narrow, making the already harsh environment even more difficult to sustain any farming.  And with the building of the dams at Aswan, many Egyptian Nubians were forced to leave land they had inhabited for centuries to make room for Lake Nasser. There is a lot of hardship and poverty in this area of the world.

As we traveled up the Nile, we had the good fortune of being ferried to different Egyptian temples, on small boats piloted by Nubian men.  With great pride, they displayed the charming handcrafted necklaces, created by their wives, sisters and daughters.  Each and every man pulled out dazzling arrays of beads, decorative metals, carved camel bone and wood elements, all strung together in distinctive designs.

It was quite a remarkable sight.  But the history of the people informs us that the women are simply carrying on their proud traditions.  Over the years teams of archaeologists have found Nubian antiquities that illustrate a very sophisticated and original culture.  (In 1997 one of the greatest exhibitions of Nubian art was shown in museums throughout Europe, included were ancient Nubian jewelry pieces.)

We are pleased to offer you refreshingly unique, beaded Egyptian necklaces - modern day offerings from artisans with a heritage of  rich culture, art and jewelry making.

The French have a long, proud tradition of soap making, and the artisans of L'epi de Provence take that history and tradition seriously. 

They are the artisans of our lush, triple milled French soaps, aromatic and emollient bath and shower gels, and rich, velvety hand creams.  And all of these products are 100% vegetable based (with no animal testing) using only the highest quality natural ingredients, and infused with the finest shea butter. 

And why is shea butter so important?  Shea butter is considered the "magic ingredient" in the rarefied world of luxury bath and beauty products.  It is a natural fat extracted from the fruit of the shea tree.  And according to the American Shea Butter Institute, not only is shea butter a superior moisturizer that contains remarkable healing properties; but it also contains anti-inflammatory agents, along with a minor sunscreen agent.

Furthermore, in the Institute's clinical studies, using shea butter on the skin was shown to transform the skin in as little as four to six weeks.  Dry, flaky skin was transformed into softer, smoother, younger-looking skin.  And according to some researchers, shea butter can actually help stimulate collagen production.

The infusion of the superior shea butter, puts the bath products in a class by themselves.  But the L'epi de Provence artisans take it a step further.   They partner with the finest perfumers of Grasse, France (in the very heart of France's renowned perfume region),  and work with the perfumers to design each unique fragrance.  And the lovely outcome to this partnership is amazing bath products that will delight all of the senses.

The French soap makers work in the rich tradition of the artisans that came before them; and we are very pleased to be able to offer you L'epi de Provence bath products - rich, yet affordable luxuries.

We are completely delighted that we have two more fabulous styles to offer you from the talented Michelle Medeiros of Bahay Bags.

Be sure and check out the very sophisticated Samantha bag, with its unique diamond shape and luxurious snakeskin.  The beautiful deep navy snakeskin completely covers the sides of the Samantha; plus the snakeskin pipes the bag and makes up the lovely braided handles.

And you can't miss the eye catching Angela.  Perfectly symmetrical - but not square!  The buntal weave of the Angela is as sleek and contemporary as its gets.  But in the very classic colors of natural and black, with exotic snakeskin handles, the Angela is also a throwback to the elegant, and dare I say "lady-like" handbags of the Grace Kellys and  Ava Gardners. 

Fashion forward - old style elegance - and eco-chic!  Michelle has hit a home run with these beauties!

With her bright smile and infectious laugh, we were enchanted by Phyllis Woods at our very first meeting.  Phyllis is the founder and force behind the gorgeous jewelry line: TRIBALINKS, based in Tucson, Arizona. 

But Phyllis didn't start out to be a jewelry designer.  No, her beginnings were quite different.  Phyllis studied Anatomy and Physiology at Indiana University, where she earned both Bachelors and Masters degrees.  But her creative urges kept calling; and she wound up studying jewelry design with Joe Harris, Bruce Clark and Robert von Neumann.

And since the 1970s, Phyllis has designed and created her own jewelry; with her work being shown throughout Arizona, and in galleries and museums all over the United States.

A huge influence in her designs has been her travel around the world, and Africa in particular.  In 1992 the non-profit group Aid To Artisans sent Phyllis to Mali to work with African jewelry artisans.  That experience of working with and researching their traditional adornments had a huge impact on her designs.

TRIBALINKS beautiful pieces are fashioned from a variety of remarkable items, including recycled glass from Java and Ghana, Afghan jade, European glass beads and  Swarovski crystals, lost wax elements, ancient Hebron beads, and hand hammered metal pieces that were recycled from old radiators!  Stunning and eco-chic - our favorite combination!

Phyllis Woods' Artist's Statement:  "As a jewelry designer, I am immersed in a process of the distillation of culturally meaningful symbols, which provide innovation and direction, as well as give personal expression and enhancement to the owner of the work.  My design concept is about bringing together the best of historical aesthetics into a contemporary context.  A common bond of the human spirit is reflected in adornment.  I hope to provide a part of the vehicle for the continuity and strengthening of that bond."

You know how we love jewelry here at Bella Figura USA, and we are very pleased to offer some of TRIBALINKS' splendid, handcrafted necklaces and earrings!

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Handbags, handbags everywhere! 

Sometimes it seems as though you can't pick up a magazine or newspaper anymore without seeing an article on handbags.  Why?  Well, our theory is that all women love a great bag.  After all, your handbag can bring a much needed splash of color to a very conservative outfit - it can herald the changing of the seasons as you make the switch from leather to straw - or it can simply give your spirit a boost by appealing to your sense of whimsy, fun, elegance... whatever mood strikes you at that moment.

And while some handbags can cost as much as a small car; they certainly don't have to.  We often compare them to lipsticks: you can feel fresh and revived by switching to a new shade; but you don't have to take out a second mortgage to do so!

Enter the lovely and vivacious Michelle Medeiros, the founder of Bahay Bags.  Michelle calls the Philippines her "native home;"  and it was there that she first saw simple, but vibrant bags to use in everyday life.  She was enchanted by the fact that the handbags were made of all natural materials, were handwoven, and that they were totally unique from anything else on the market. 

Being a creative dynamo, Michelle saw the bags as a tremendous opportunity.  An opportunity to provide beautiful and affordable handbags to a larger audience; and at the same time an opportunity to showcase the natural, mystical splendor of her native island, the Philippines.

So Michelle wound up designing a stunning handbag line that combined provocative colors, contemporary style and Mother Nature's organic gifts.   As Michelle says, "we set out to create native chic."  And WOW - has she been successful!

Speaking further about her line, Michelle said, "I made these bags to feel mystical as they are feminine... I believe that organic flavor IS the beauty of the bag - hand-weaving is a timeless art."  Bahay Bags are everything Michelle set out to accomplish.  They are feminine, natural, chic - and very affordable.  Music to any woman's ears!

"Bahay" means "home" in the Philippines.  A Bahay Bag feels warm - and comfortable - and beautiful - just like any home should!  Here at Bella Figura USA, we are very proud to offer you a selection of handbags from  Bahay Bags.

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We make no bones about it - we love jewelry here at Bella Figura USA.  And one of our all time favorite designers is Massachusetts based, Barbara Silverstein.

Barbara is a fan of contemporary, minimal architectural lines - classic lines.  And it was love at first sight when she first spied some industrial braided stainless steel in her local hardware store.  As she beautifully described it, "...my response to the purity of the intrinsic beauty of braided stainless steel was immediate and total."

By 1996, Barbara was not only designing her own braiding and fashioning her sleek steel designs, but she had come up with five electroplated finishes for them: 14k gold, 24k gold, bronze, antique, gunmetal and her own original finish of champagne.

It didn't take too long for Barbara to find another unusual inspiration: a lint catcher from her dryer - specifically the knitted wires of the lint catcher. 

This atypical "muse object" inspired her to create the jewelry pieces whose delicate mesh wiring ensconce freshwater pearls and sparkling Swarovski crystals.  Utterly gorgeous and completely unique!

However, not just content to create luxurious, timeless pieces, Barbara was also determined that her jewelry be maintenance free and COMFORTABLE.  To this end, many of the pieces close with magnetic clasps - no fumbling around trying to get little chains to hook into tiny rings!  And her collars wear like a dream - no sense of heaviness, even with her most opulent collars.

Museum shops and galleries carry the work of Barbara SilverStein, which makes perfect sense as they are truly works of art.  And at Bella Figura USA we are very proud and pleased to offer you a variety of  pieces from the Barbara SilverStein Collection.

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