Oroton is a luxury Australian brand established in 1938 producing leather goods, shoes and accessories.
I popped in to meet general manager and creative director Ana Maria Escobar, at their new Emporium Melbourne store.
“ I come from an industrial design back ground, so the look of the store was really important to me. We worked with London based U.D.S on the concept of how to incorporate the unique Australian landscape into the store design,” she tells me.
“I love the unexpected things you find in nature, and the light is so different here. Huge blue skies and the colours in the outback are really unique. So everything in the store is customized, from the textured walls to granite fixtures and velvet seating.”
Heritage is important to Oroton, which is why Escobar herself designs every single item from scratch.
“It starts with a drawing or an idea and then I work with the team. Everything I create must have synergy, so a lot of work goes into the design process from the stitching, fixtures, even the specific types of leather we use.”
Does an Australian luxury brand matter to Australians I wonder?
“Absolutely! I meet people who have bags that are 50 years old. The quality stands the test of time, and these pieces become part of a family history and people’s lives. Our customers were so thrilled when Kate Middleton decided to wear Oroton when she was here, something we had absolutely no control over. The response was overwhelming, because she chose something that people have been wearing here for a long time.”
You can find the new Oroton store at Emporium Melbourne.
