Jeremy Hershan is musing on the meaning of the word timelessness. “It holds dual meaning for me,” he says, noting that, on the one hand, it refers to quality that stands the test of time, and on the other of a sense of eternal style. With the launch of his namesake line of tote bags, Hershan is aiming to honour both interpretations. “It’s about timeless goods that endure,” he continues. “Products to live a full life and be all the better for their experiences.”
After previous work experience at Aquascutum, Gieves & Hawkes, Dunhill and, most recently, as the head of design at Australian luxury leather goods and outerwear label R.M. Williams, Hershan treads cautiously into the role of business owner by beginning singularly with what he’s named the ‘Utility Tote’. And though he has plans for a further offering of accessories to be added throughout the year, this piecemeal approach has allowed the Australian-born designer to perfect his commercial offering. “I believe that quality is the ultimate luxury, and with Hershan I wanted to create modern heirlooms using specific manufacturing techniques and superior fabrications, resulting in goods that will only get better with age.”
Each bag is individually handcrafted in Portugal, where it’s woven to size on mid-century-era shuttle looms from hard-wearing cotton canvas, eschewing the use of synthetic fibres, such as polyester, that contribute to the global plastic pollution problem. While time-consuming and intensive, the process ensures there is zero cutting waste in the production process, adhering to sustainable ethos that underpins Hershan’s business venture. “There is so much that is disposable in the market and I want [for my brand] to be the antithesis of that,” he explains. “My Utility Tote really is the ultimate bag for a lifetime of daily rituals, journeys and adventures.”
