Welcome to the Michino universe

Avenue Montaigne is the address of Parisian haute couture. It is a place of absolute refinement, and I needed a piece worthy of it. It all began with a question to Gabriela: which leather piece would she want to carry every day? Her answer was immediate: a clutch. To design it, I drew inspiration from the architecture of Japanese torii gates, hence its delicately curved top line. The Montaigne carries the “East meets West” spirit that is so dear to me, and accompanies every elegance, from day to evening.

TANNERIES DU PUY
Le Puy-en-Velay, Haute-Loire

Based in Le Puy-en-Velay, in Auvergne, Tanneries du Puy are recognized worldwide for their expertise in calf leather. They have long supplied the greatest French luxury houses. Their leathers stand out for their hold, fineness, and consistency. We chose their textured calf for the Élysée bag, for its structure and scratch resistance, as well as their grained calf for the Montaigne clutch.

Before it was called Paris, the city bore the name of Lutetia — Lutèce in French. It all began on the Île de la Cité, in the middle of the Seine. When I designed the first bag of the house, I wanted to go back to those origins. Returning to the beginning means returning to what is essential, to what does not change. The Lutece was born from that idea: a pure silhouette, a clasp that opens and closes effortlessly, classic elegance with a touch of modernity. I like to think that, like the city whose ancient name it bears, it is made to stand the test of time.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

The 7th arrondissement is the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, the Musée d’Orsay. It is also the embassy district, where French tradition meets the wider world. That meeting of heritage and openness speaks to me, because it mirrors the story of our house, between Japan and France. The Septième is its expression: a structured, rigorous silhouette, and our first collection entirely dedicated to smooth leather, with its subtle natural sheen. A bag I wanted both understated and assured.

TANNERIES ROUX
Romans-sur-Isère, since 1803

Since 1803, Tanneries Roux have passed down their know-how from generation to generation in Romans-sur-Isère, the historic cradle of French shoemaking. More than two centuries of experience have made this house a reference for major leather goods, footwear, and fashion brands. There we found the smooth calf leather of our Septième collection, our first line entirely dedicated to smooth leather, chosen for its subtle natural sheen.

Passy was once a village, before it was joined to Paris. It has kept something of that: a calm, a greenery, a discreet elegance with nothing to prove. That is the Paris I wanted to translate into the Passy. Neither fully structured nor fully soft, it is carried with the same ease as a walk through the neighborhood streets. For it, we created a new signature closure, fully leather-covered, that opens with a fluid gesture. A detail you may not notice at first, but that you will appreciate every day.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

Place Colette sits between the Palais-Royal and the Comédie-Française. It bears the name of the writer Colette, who long lived facing the gardens of the Palais-Royal. I love this corner of Paris, where literature, theater, and art meet within a few steps. The Colette bag also brings several worlds together: the small silk purses still worn with the kimono in the streets of Tokyo, and the refined alms purses of French medieval manuscripts. I wanted to make it a delicate, precious piece, for those who carry their essentials with grace.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

The Odéon neighborhood, around the theater and a short walk from the Luxembourg, is one of my favorites on the Left Bank. Bookshops, small cinemas, lively cafés: culture is lived there every day, without ceremony. I wanted the Odéon bag to have that same natural elegance. It is a bucket bag with a clean silhouette, worn crossbody by day and by hand in the evening. A bag that follows the rhythm of the city, from morning to a night at the theater.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

The Élysée neighborhood, between the presidential palace and the Champs-Élysées, embodies for me a certain idea of French rigor. Every façade is assured, every detail counts. That is the exacting standard I wanted to find again in the Élysée bag. For it, we invented curved oval eyelets that perfectly follow the flap’s curve. It was a real technical challenge, and I am especially proud of it. Structured, organized, lined in nappa lambskin, the Élysée is a bag for those who love things done well.

TANNERIES DU PUY
Le Puy-en-Velay, Haute-Loire

Based in Le Puy-en-Velay, in Auvergne, Tanneries du Puy are recognized worldwide for their expertise in calf leather. They have long supplied the greatest French luxury houses. Their leathers stand out for their hold, fineness, and consistency. We chose their textured calf for the Élysée bag, for its structure and scratch resistance, as well as their grained calf for the Montaigne clutch.

The first time you discover the Opéra Garnier, you never forget its grand marble staircase and its gold. Around it, the neighborhood vibrates to the rhythm of the grands boulevards. For me, the Opéra represents Parisian splendor at its most joyful. I wanted the Opéra bag to keep that spirit: a piece with two soft-curved handles that soften a classic geometric shape. It moves naturally from a day in the city to an evening at a show.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

Seen from above, Place de l’Étoile draws a perfect star: twelve avenues radiating around the Arc de Triomphe. That monument is for me one of the great symbols of Paris, and I wanted it present on the bag. That is why the Étoile’s padlock references it. The bag is made from a single piece of leather, which gives it a surprising lightness. I picture it as much in the city as in the countryside. With a silk scarf tied to the handle, it becomes French chic as I love it.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

The Tuileries Garden, between the Louvre and the Concorde, is for me the perfect example of the French formal garden. Allées drawn as if with a ruler, basins, perspectives: everything is a matter of balance and measure. It is an art of composition to which I am very sensitive. With the Tuileries, I took the silhouette of our Salut model and reworked its proportions, to find the right balance between structure and softness. Outside, a classic look. Inside, a luminous lining, like a walk in the sun through the garden.

Behind its arcades, the garden of the Palais-Royal is one of Paris’s best-kept secrets. You enter almost by chance, and discover its lime-tree allées, its galleries, Buren’s columns. For me, it is a hidden treasure in the heart of the city. That image brought me back to the treasure chests of the fairy tales of my childhood. The Palais Royal bag was born from it: a rounded flap, hinges, a generous opening. I imagined it to hold what you hold most precious.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

From the Trocadéro esplanade, the view of the Eiffel Tower is one of the most beautiful in Paris. Looking at it, I thought again of the torii of Miyajima, in Japan, discovered on my travels. These two structures that everything seems to separate nonetheless share the same harmony between straight lines and curves. That dialogue left a deep mark on me. With the Trocadero, I sought to bring these two inspirations together in a single silhouette, where French elegance meets Japanese simplicity. It may be the bag that best tells who we are.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

The Seine crosses Paris from east to west, from bridge to bridge, from quay to quay. For me, it is the thread that connects every neighborhood of the city, and thus every bag of the house. I love walking along its banks, where Paris reveals itself little by little. The Seine takes up that movement: a canvas tote elevated with our leather, designed to accompany you every day — to work, on the weekend, or on a trip.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

Rue de Rivoli crosses Paris from east to west under its arcades, running along the Louvre and the Tuileries. It is a street of movement. Each time I take it, I pass Parisians hurrying to the office and strollers who take the time to look in the shop windows. For me, Rivoli is the very rhythm of Paris. I wanted the bag to keep that imprint even in its two formats, East/West and North/South. Reversible, soft, and light, the Rivoli is made for a full life, from Monday morning to Sunday.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés is for me the neighborhood where Parisian elegance is lived every day. You have a coffee on a terrace, browse the bookshops, then join the allées of the Luxembourg Garden. With Risa Tsuzuki, we set ourselves a challenge: to transform the image of the diaper bag into an accessory you actually want to carry. The Saint-Germain was born that way. It holds a laptop as readily as a newborn’s essentials, without ever giving up on style. That is what I love about the Left Bank: nothing there sets beauty against practicality.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

In the Roaring Twenties, Montparnasse was the neighborhood of artists from around the world. It is also that of Gare Montparnasse, from which trains leave for the west and the ocean. For me, that name evokes departure, curiosity, the desire for elsewhere. It was obvious to give it to our travel bag. I wanted a bag you take for a weekend, or with a suitcase for a longer trip, whose leather gains a patina along the way. With the Montparnasse Nano, I wanted to keep that same spirit of freedom for the city, every day.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

The Musée d’Orsay is one of the places in Paris that move me most. It was a train station, built for the Exposition Universelle of 1900. Today, under its great glass roof, it houses the finest Impressionist paintings. I love that idea of an architecture that changes use without losing its soul. With the Orsay briefcase, I sought the same balance: a classic, almost architectural line, in service of today’s use. Its silhouette is slim, yet it hides several roomy pockets. A solid structure, designed to hold what matters.

TANNERIE RÉMY CARRIAT
Espelette, Basque Country, since 1927

The story of the Rémy Carriat tannery begins in 1927 in Espelette, in the heart of the Basque Country. Young Rémy Carriat then supplied cobblers across the Southwest, convinced that quality and proximity make the difference. Nearly a century later, this family house is still run by his heirs and has become a reference in luxury leather goods. Its specialty, taurillon leather, is thick, supple, and highly durable. It is our signature leather: its living grain dresses most of our models, from the Lutece to the Odéon, including the Rivoli, Passy, and Montparnasse.

Every Michino bag bears the name of a place in Paris. A neighborhood, a street, a garden, a monument. These are places I have walked, observed, and that have moved me. I was born in Japan, and Paris taught me to look differently: the lines of façades, the light on the Seine, the elegance of everyday gestures. By giving my bags the names of these places, I wanted to share with you my reading of this city I love. To carry a Michino is to carry a fragment of Paris with you.

Yasu Michino, founder