“This is about a level of design. In fact, I often think about what I do as strategic design. I want each item to reflect contemporary life and the ideas and pressures of me clients. Subtlety. Concealed hardware and clean surfaces. Modern. More. I live in, and with, the natural landscape: chambers, edges, and ridges found in nature are pockets, compartments, and handles in the collection.”

Basil Racuk is a veteran of the menswear industry, having worked for himself and several others including Andrew Marc and Banana Republic. His artistic epiphany occurred while hiking on the island of Hydra in Greece. Walking deep into a burnt forest, Basil realized that he was no longer creating something he was passionate about. He felt lost in the numbers of modern life and the concerns of the production based sector. Abandoning an obsession with sales numbers and traffic, the designer opted to move towards accessories and bags, ultimately endeavoring towards the creation of a finer, more individually rewarding craft.

Shown in Leffot in NY, and Edition in Tokyo, Japan, Basil handcrafts all his products in his Emeryville studio, a live/work space that keeps him in close contact with his craft. Each piece is unique, taking him up to a couple months to complete.

“Luxury is about time. I make each piece slowly and to last. Meticulousness requires time, an investment; and time is increasingly rare, it is special. I’m also interested in the histories and techniques of craftspeople and artisans, and I use both artisan tools and techniques to create true heirloom leather pieces.”