Thalia Strates

Founded in 2014 by creative director Thalia Strates, the eponymous South African label is known for its minimalist handbags and small leather goods. The brand takes pride in using indigenous, raw materials including nubuck leathers, ostrich skin, and springbok furs—sourced as a byproduct of South Africa’s pre-existing farming industry. The reigning signature of Thalia Strates’ styles is the Springbok mohawk (a style recognizable in its former collaborations with New York based brand Brother Vellies), features as a recurring staple in each consecutive collection.

Characterized by a clean, minimalist aesthetic, all pieces are handcrafted in a small artisan workshop in Cape Town, using methods passed down from generation to generation. "Our brand is about marrying clean silhouettes with materials which show their age with wear. The piece comes to life as it softens and gains marks as a result of the wearer's love for it. It is lived-in luxury, perfectly imperfect,” the designer (https://thaliastrates.co.za/pages/about). Transparency in the manufacturing process as well as in the materials used is integral to the brand, and core to Thalia Strates’ ethos is maintaining fair wages and relying solely on ethically sourced materials. With a goal of inspiring slow fashion and pride in conscious consumption, Thalia Strates creates meaningful products that possess homegrown appeal.