FIONA KOTUR: MASTER OF THE MINAUDIERE

Photos courtesy of Kotur

Fiona Kotur has what I like to call stealth style. As the daughter of an artist and interior designer, she grew up traveling and learning to see things with an educated eye. This Met Museum going, creative New York upbringing let her to what she knows best-- fashion. She and her sister Alexandra both work in the creative domain, her sister was just hired away from Vogue to be a creative director at Town and Country.
In the mid- 1990's, Fiona worked abroad as a senior director of women’s accessories development at Old Navy, and helped her friend Tory Burch launch her eponymous line. She has lived in Hong Kong for years, and as the mother of four young boys, travels often. These journeys inspired her handbag collection, KOTUR. Seven years ago, she launched a capsule collection, grounded my what has become a hallmark, the glamorous minaudiere. She came across a fabulous trove of vintage brocades, and continues to create bags from these textiles. I first came across her evening bags years ago at Scoop, and knew they were something special- from her logo font to clean and classic clasp, every detail was pitch perfect. Craftsmanship and amazing materials make her designs stand out from the crowd. This season, she embraces color, as well as sueded exotic skins, woven raffia, straw and tie dying techniques. Part of the joy in the process, she says, is through the discovery of exotic materials and the allure of creating from them. These bags are meant to feel at home in the city as well as by the sea shore. She has also enrolled her mother, Shiela Cameron Kotur, to create watercolor renderings for her seasonal collections. I think you will feel the same way I do, especially when you can see yourself carrying each of these bags this summer!
Summer is here: the Morley Sueded Snakeskin Clutches in vivid brights sit next a great city to country day bag, the Mortimer Balinese Straw Tote. A Mirando Hand Dyed Lambskin number is great for an evening out in a tropical locale.

Hand crafted out of pale blue toned shell, the Joret clutch resembles shattered glass (in a chic way). A faceted crystal clasp adds an additional dose of glamour.
The Breen Balinese Straw Clutch will pair with anything.
With a kicky tassel, the woven Barnes Clutch is a nice shape to hold.

The LaMotte Balinese Straw Clutch brings interior design to the wardrobe, it reminds me of a great Phillip Jeffries grasscloth wall covering.
The LaMotte with pink detailing.

The D'Abo Limited Edition Vintage Brocade Clutch. Her fabric finds tend to be brocades with silver, white and a pop of color. The tell tale ball clasps are a discreet way to distinguish her bags.

As such a stylish gal, I was curious to see how she lived. Being that she is a New Yorker, city living is something she is used to. I was thrilled when she gave me a peek.

"I mixed textures in this vignette. I combined a Jean Michel Frank-inspired marquetry screen, Cambodian buddha, large tortoise shell found in antique store in Bangkok, on an egg shaped 1950's black lacquer table from my mother's single days in London. I love the mix of sleek and raw, vintage and new. I like to use combinations like this in my bags- I have such great resources for raw materials in Asia, but like to put them in another context, unexpected, like straw covered minaudiere with jewel clasp."

Fiona's Hong Kong residence was featured in Elle Decor Hong Kong. The view is magic.

"My desk with cork walls- I pin up notes from friends and editors, and my mother's illustrations..."

"We have a tented small dining room/breakfast room/niche. I have the natural linen printed in Olive zebra print. My parents had a tented dining room and I loved it as a child, so thought I would try it in our apartment."

"A Candida Hofer photograph is my new favorite piece. I don't live with a lot of color, though I love color. I prefer subdued colors against the urban landscape."

"My Cami Lyons sculpture with deco bar in the background and Christian Liaigre chairs- eclectic mix...I like combinations of texture and periods. We live in a high rise building with a fantastic wrap-around floor-ceiling view of HK Harbour- my favorite aspect of the flat."