In Conversation with Kinnon

How did you balance simplicity with a strong sense of identity throughout the Paloma collection? 

For us, simplicity is about being intentional with every decision. With Paloma, we wanted each piece to feel immediately recognisable without relying on anything too loud or obvious. The identity lives in the details: the bar detailing, the proportion of a strap, the weight of the hardware, the way the leather sits. When you get those things right, the bag speaks for itself. 

The signature gold bar detail introduces both structure and a subtle femininity. Can you talk us through the thinking behind this design element? 

The gold bar detailing came before almost everything else. We knew we wanted a signature element that would tie the collection together without overpowering it. What drew us to the bar was the pairing of structure with the suppleness of the leather. It has a precision to it, almost architectural, but against the leather, it brings out a softer side. That balance is very Kinnon. It became the quiet anchor of the whole collection. 

Paloma feels inherently versatile, moving between work, travel and everyday moments. How did functionality influence the design process? 

Functionality is never separate from the design process; it is the foundation of it. We spend a lot of time thinking about how women actually move through their days. Paloma needed to work in a boardroom, on a plane and at dinner without asking the woman carrying it to compromise. That means thinking about interior organisation, strap adjustability and the weight of the piece when it's full. The goal is always a piece that keeps up with the pace of your life and still manages to elevate it. 

Materiality plays a key role in Kinnon's collections. How does craftsmanship contribute to the longevity and feel of the Paloma pieces? 

We've always believed that the right inputs and materials do a lot of the work.. Italian leather has a quality that you feel immediately: the way it sits, the way it responds to wear, the way it ages. With Paloma, we were deliberate about sourcing leathers built for longevity, because we design for women who invest with intention. Craftsmanship at Kinnon isn't measured by how a piece looks on day one; it's measured by how it carries itself for years to come. It's equally important to us that all our leathers hold a gold star rating from the Leather Working Group, the global body for ethical and sustainable production. 

There's a quiet confidence to Paloma, understated yet intentional. What do you hope women feel when they carry a piece from the collection? 

We hope they feel like the best version of themselves. Paloma wasn't designed to demand attention. It was designed to give the woman carrying it a sense of quiet certainty, that feeling of having everything exactly where it needs to be. Paloma is for the woman who doesn't need to announce her presence. That effortless confidence is what the Kinnon woman embodies, and the Paloma collection is a reflection of that. 

LEARN MORE https://kinnon.com.au/collections/paloma