Joseph Duclos Turns Art Into a Bag Worth Carrying

We are not new to Joseph Duclos. It’s a brand we’ve been covering and sharing as we continue to learn more about its history and its designs. One of the House’s standout silhouettes, the Diane, has now been reimagined through the lens of art, inspired by Rectangular Prison with Smokestack (1987) by American artist Peter Halley.

This interpretation of the Diane is limited to just five numbered pieces, all crafted in France using leather marquetry. This highly specialized technique allowed Joseph Duclos to recreate Halley’s signature “cells” and “conduits” through hand-cut and hand-assembled leather panels, turning a flat artwork into a dimensional, wearable object.

Why I Turned to Ingrid Chua (@thebaghag)

With over twenty years of experience in the fashion industry, I’ve met editors, designers, influencers, PR professionals, and just about everyone in between. But when it comes to the niche world of bags, very few of the people who started in this space together have truly stayed in it.

One person I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with over the years is Ingrid Chua, better known as @thebaghag.

If you follow Ingrid, you know she tells it exactly as she sees it. She’s outspoken about where the luxury industry has gone wrong, particularly when it comes to craftsmanship, quality, and what is actually worth the money. One brand she has consistently championed is Joseph Duclos, now under the creative direction of Ramesh Nair. With the release of this new limited-edition piece, I spoke with Ingrid about the brand, this specific bag, and why Joseph Duclos continues to earn her respect.

Ingrid on Craftsmanship, Credibility, and Joseph Duclos

Chua: “One of the key issues I’ve had with many commercial luxury brands today is their use of the words “luxury” and “craftsmanship” in the same sentence. With the recent controversies surrounding big name brands and their manufacturing practices, I had become skeptical of the 2 words they continue to use to describe their products.

Joseph Duclos is a small, independent brand helmed by the “if you know, you know” creative director Ramesh Nair. He has extensive experience in design, materials, and craftsmanship, having worked alongside Martin Margiela and Jean Paul Gaultier during his tenure at Hermes. He has mastered leather and had created incredible pieces during his time at both Hermes and Moynat that we still all enjoy to this day.

So when he began his time at Joseph Duclos, I knew he will continue to push those same craftsmanship, quality, and design boundaries because Nair is uncompromising. And he truly did not disappoint. Duclos bags are very meticulously made, not mass-produced in an assembly line, and are made with the best quality leathers under Nair’s artistic and creative leadership.”

Translating Peter Halley’s Art Into a Bag

When I asked Ingrid what makes this particular collaboration stand out, she immediately returned to the execution and the technical skill required to bring Halley’s work to life.

Chua: “If there was anyone who could elevate Halley’s art into wearable art in bag form, it’s Nair. Halley’s work in geometric abstraction was translated so beautifully into the Diane bag. The striking orange stripe down the flap is not hand-painted, but is actually a technically challenging process which involved intricate leather marquetry — that strip of leather had to be cut perfectly into the bag.

Think of it as pieces of the puzzle that had to fit their corresponding places. And in an area with higher tension too — the flap has to be flexible to open and close, and if marquetry is not done well, pieces will not stay in place! Ramesh’s work for this JD x PH collab goes beyond design — it’s leather engineering. The blackened (pvd) finish is a process employed by jewellers.

It’s a special finish, making the bag even more striking against that orange leather strip! This blackened hardware does get scratched with use over time, like all other hardware finishes.”

When an Artist Collaboration Actually Works

Artist collaborations have become almost unavoidable in luxury, but execution is where most fall short. Ingrid didn’t hold back on why this one feels different.

She shared, “To have a bag that does a great artist’s work justice is rare today. A lot of brands jump on the artist collab bandwagon in recent years and sadly the execution is en-masse and the bags just become watered-down, almost b*stardizrd versions of the artist’s work. This JD x PH collab is definitely not one of them. It stayed true to PH’s work which on its own, was precise and striking. The collab bag result really did PH’s work justice, and more!”

For Chua, the ultimate test of any bag, even one that borders on art, is whether it belongs in the real world. Per Chua, “I would no question carry this bag over, keeping it inside a glass case, haha. Will I carry it with more care? Absolutely! But I’d carry it, proudly! It is wearable art!!”

Looking Ahead for Joseph Duclos

She closed our conversation by looking to the future of the House and why she remains confident in her investment in the brand.

She closed with this thought: “Joseph Duclos, under the artistic direction of Ramesh Nair and management of Franck Dahan will continue to push boundaries — I’m excited to see how they continue to thrive in this high luxury space. With their continued collaboration, I feel secure in knowing that the bags I buy from the brand are truly of exceptional quality, will last a loooong time, transcend trends, and are worth every euro spent.”