For designer Ximena Kavalekas, success is in the bag

Just how Hermès has its horse and shade of orange and Chanel has its camellia flower and quilting, Ximena Kavalekas is the queen of python. The accessories designer rules her kingdom from a sleek, sky-high atelier and showroom in a Brickell tower. Her coveted pieces are regulars on glossy shelves at select shops and in the digital realm. Exclusive collaborations have ranged from knitwear scion Margherita Missoni, who adorned the bestselling, boxy Mandolin 2.0 with daisies, to the same style with stripes for Mrs. Mandolin lifestyle store in Miami’s Buena Vista.

So, it came with great surprise when Kavalekas announced she’s expanding into other materials beginning with the Pre-fall 2020 collection.

“Python is my brand’s DNA. I love these prints, and they put me on the map,” said Kavalekas, who launched her namesake line in 2015. “The request came from a retailer, and I’m grateful for the challenge because I’ve grown as a designer.”

Don’t get her wrong — the python isn’t going anywhere. It’s just being adapted in clever ways with the same resourcefulness that the invasive reptile has survived and thrived in the Florida Everglades. Kavalekas stretches her imagination with python-embossed calf leather for whole bags or accents on rattan bodies, and python-printed plaid, velvet and faux fur.

“The faux fur and velvet look so real that you swear they are snakeskin until you touch them,” she said, flipping through swatches such as faux fur in hot pink to blush ombre. “They’re fashion-forward but sustainable too, if that’s an important factor to someone. I produce these bags in the same Italian factory that makes Stella McCartney’s eco line.”

THE DELIGHT IS IN THE DETAILS

She’s also bringing back chunky hardware after its hiatus during years of minimalist bags. Milky, opalescent acrylic chains adorn structured rattan bags with python accents colored like marine turtles, sunshine and ivory seashells for next summer.

“Everybody does leather and wicker, so the challenge is how to make it my own,” she said, already getting orders for the new collection from her regular accounts and Flannels, a designer store in the UK with multiple locations. “I don’t believe in competing with the other guy. I compete against myself.”

Always open to collaboration, she’s working on a few projects with Miami influencers. Model Jenny Lopez offers curated pieces through her new e-commerce app, Jennyonthego, while Danie Gómez-Ortigoza designed petite versions of her signature head scarves to tie around bags. An exclusive, black clutch developed with fashion stylist and INDULGE Contributing Senior Fashion Editor Elysze Held is slated for fall, too.

“It transitions from day to night and is basically Elysze in a bag,” said Kavalekas, who compares her muse to a living legend. “I have dreams of designing shoes and clothing someday. I want to see how much farther I can push myself.”