Sitting on a green chair in the Jardin du Luxembourg, I think of my new love interest: Chylak. Zofia left New York to return to Warsaw, launching her bags even as she was warned against marking them "Made in Poland." A few years and 15,000 names on the waiting list later, I covet one very seriously.
Sitting on a green metal chair in the Jardin du Luxembourg, my mind wanders to my current love interest: the Double-warp Weave Bag by Chylak. It takes Lucyna Kędzierska a full week of weaving to create one. It is a Podlachia technique once reserved for fabrics slipped into a bride's dowry, and within the pattern, a mother dances with her daughter. Needless to say, I am already emotionally invested.
I also have a weakness for Chylak belts. Finding a beautiful belt is surprisingly like searching for hidden treasure. The brand designs them to be singular, never flashy, and accessible enough that you will find yourself wanting more than one.
A little back story…
Founded in Warsaw in 2014 by Zofia Chylak, who trained at Proenza Schouler in New York before choosing to return to Poland, the brand has grown almost in defiance of traditional fashion capitals. In the early days, she was even advised not to emphasize the "Made in Poland" label too much. Instead, she made it her signature: structured bags, subtly retro lines, Italian leathers, Polish craftsmanship, and hand-stamped serial numbers, culminating in waiting lists thousands of names long for certain pieces.
With Chylak Heritage, Zofia reaches back even further. She looks to regional Polish crafts threatened with extinction: bobbin lace from Bobowa, artisanal traditions of Kurpie, and double-warp weaving from Podlachie …
