LUXE LEATHER? IT’S IN THE BAG
Lisa Rissetto is a three-decade veteran of the fashion industry who worked as accessories producer at Esprit and became president of G. Hensler & Co., a maker of 2 million private-label leather accessories for major U.S. retailers — a title she still holds. In 2007, she founded her own handbag company, 49 Square Miles, a nod to San Francisco’s geographic size, and this year created another line with a name that requires no guesswork: Rissetto.
The Woodside resident grew up with horses and developed an appreciation for the character inherent in well-worn bags, saddles, bridles and other equestrian gear. Her line features Italian leathers made with natural vegetable dyes and tannins, rather than chemicals, for a finish she prefers.
“Those types of leathers can last 20, 30, 40 years, with a beautiful patina, a glaze that develops over time,” she says. “Once you put chemicals on it, you’re scaling off the surface and nothing can permeate it.”
Leather, she notes, is a “threedimensional product — it’s like sculpture as opposed to working on a flat garment.” Art aside, the pieces also “have to be functional,” she says, “and work for you.”
Her Greer hobo (above), perhaps most emblematic of her relaxed California aesthetic, is a soft, slouchy, oversized bag that’s strong enough to carry a laptop, comfortable to wear over a shoulder with wide straps, and practical with multiple pockets inside.
A bit of horn detailing on the outside (“a byproduct of the meat industry,” she says) makes every bag individual. The line also features bags with flannel and leather, canvas totes, clutch purses and belts, in prices ranging from $110 to $695, at specialty boutiques and www.rissetto.com.