How were trunks constructed back in the day and has that influenced the way you make your bags now?

Trunks were made for automobiles and were made purely for practicality so that they fit on the top of the cars. The rounded trunks were made so that rain would fall off it rather than collect on top. 

Now, I never think of practicality when I design bags. With design, you should not start with practicality as a factor. I experiment and modify and tweak. If everything was about practicality, we should just buy military clothing or accessories. With the pyramid bag, I know a phone won't fit in it, but I want people to buy this because it’s well designed and evokes a feeling.

Moynat is known for using very innovative techniques and treaments on leather. For example, you once used rust as a dye. What are some new techniques you're using?

Our new bag now has designs that come from a combination of coloured leathers, creating a pattern that is not printed but created using a technique called leather marquetry.

The first pieces were a total disaster. They looked beautiful but when the bag bends, the corners start to fall apart. Now, we use a heat-reactive glue so the leather expands with heat. We also cut the leathers at an angle so that they hold each other.

See also: How Gabriela Hearst Is Fighting For Sustainable Fashion

What was the most unique commissioned piece you’ve made?

We had a guy from Asia who wanted a trunk for stones. He refused to tell me what kind of stones, and only made gestures about the size and I thought he was a jeweller. It turns out he collects meteorites.

We had to make compartments so that the stones didn’t move, as they're so fragile. We had to find ways of anticipating the shapes of the stones without having seen them. In the end we decided to use memory foam covered in leather so that stones of any shape or size can sit in it.

You've already begun to make scarves, do you see Moynat turning into a full fledged ready-to-wear brand?

If there’s necessity, yes, but if not, no. By necessity I mean if there is a need for something that doesn’t already exist, because there is a lot out there. Initially I didn’t want to do scarves, but the scarves were made because the person I was working with to source a specific type of leather also had an existing scarf atelier.

The print on the scarves were hand-drawn prints of our bag-making process, so it feels like a way of displaying what's already there.

Moynat's Ephemeral Gallery Trunk Show at Pacific Place is open until August 31. 

See also: Moynat Rendez-Vous Cocktail Party