Papillon Bag: A High-Leathercraft Tote Redefining Movement, Proportion, and Precision

A Collaboration That Brought a New Silhouette to Life

In the spring of 2024, we embarked on an extraordinary collaboration with Spanish designer Raquel Figueroa Borque, whose architectural vision of form, volume, and texture became the conceptual foundation of the Papillon Bag. It was Raquel who imagined the cascading movement, the dynamic pleating, and the sculptural silhouette that now define this bag. Her approach, deeply technical yet poetic, set the tone for a project that transcended borders.

To bring this vision to life, Johanna Martínez, head of pattern making and production at Danilos, worked closely with her mentor Esteban, a renowned specialist in digital pattern design and a master leather craftsman in Europe. Joining them were Danilos own Honduran master leatherworkers, whose exceptional manual precision shaped the final construction of each piece.

This creative triangle, in Spain and Honduras united through vision, digital engineering, and artisanal mastery, transformed Raquels vision into exacting patterns and impeccably crafted prototypes.

The Papillon Bag for FW25 is not only the result of a binational collaboration. It is also the product of Johanna Martínez’s continuous development. She re-designed this Papillon Bag with fascinating Suede & Hair-On Leather options, refining it through pattern engineering, structural testing, and direct feedback from our clients to improve and evolve upon the previous one. 

Every adjustment, whether in the design or manufacture process honors craft, while elevating the functionality and experience of the bag. The result is a limited-edition tote that celebrates intelligent design, artistic evolution, and the precision that defines our leather-craft.

A Suede Re-Edition That Reveals the Strength of the Original Design

The Papillon was initially designed in smooth leather, top grain of the highest quality: a material that emphasized the bag’s architectural purity. But in developing this new edition in premium suede, & Hair-On Leather we discovered an entirely new aesthetic and tactile dimension.

The velvety softness of suede brings a handcrafted, luxurious character that transforms the piece without compromising its structure.

This shift proves something essential: When a design is truly strong, the material enhances the experience, but the construction, pattern engineering, and logic of volume are what preserve its integrity.

Suede softens the silhouette, deepens the shadows within each pleat, and creates a visual richness impossible to replicate in smooth leather. This re-edition doesn’t replace the originality illuminates it from a new perspective and reinforces the truth that in high leather-craft, material matters, but design is the real luxury.

A Design That Moves Like a Stage Curtain: Structure, Movement, and Presence

The Suede Papillon Bag, is distinguished by its pleated body, an exquisite construction reminiscent of a soft curtain falling in vertical waves. The result is almost choreographic: a sculptural presence without rigidity, a sophisticated balance of volume and fluidity. Each pleat responds to natural movement, expanding when the bag is full and contracting gracefully when it’s light.

Unlike traditional bucket bags, its side-drawstring opening introduces a subtle, controlled gesture that transforms the pouch-like silhouette into a dynamic, adaptable object. This mechanism adds functional beauty while reinforcing the identity of the design.

What Defines the Papillon Bag as a Piece of High Leather-craft

Designed to offer versatility without sacrificing the iconic presence of a luxury bag, the Papillon Sr. features:

• Two short handles for hand or arm carry
• An adjustable strap for shoulder or crossbody wear
• A generous, flexible, and practical interior for everyday use
• A side-drawstring closure that secures and refines the silhouette
• Hand-finished stitching and leather detailing that elevate the tactile richness of suede
• Structural pleats engineered to expand without losing shape
• A distinctive pouch-style silhouette that adapts effortlessly

Every material, union, and proportion has been chosen to achieve impeccable aesthetic and structural harmony.

Volume, Proportion, and Light: The Material Poetry of the Papillon Bag.

Inspired by accordion construction, the Papillon Bag breathes through its volume.
The pleats open organically, offering surprising capacity without adding stiffness.

Premium suede shifts with the light, revealing depth and visual movement from every angle, while refined leather trims define the bag’s architecture with crisp, intentional lines.

A Limited Edition for Those Who Seek Design With Intention

Because of the technical complexity required for each pleat, pattern, and finish, the Papillon Bag is produced in very limited quantities. It is designed for those who value exclusivity, technical precision, and the quiet beauty of intentional design.

A fusion of architecture, tactility, and real functionality, the Suede Papillon Bag is soft, sculptural, versatile, and unexpectedly practical, destined to become a reference point in contemporary bag design.