Karl x Amber Valletta Launch the Most Desirable Sustainable Bags

Fashion house KARL LAGERFELD has collaborated with model, actress, activist and long-time muse Amber Valletta to produce an eco-friendly accessories collection for the Spring 2021 season.

To receive the Luxiders newsletter, sign up here.

KARL X AMBER VALLETTA is the newest collection to join the brand’s expanding lineup of sustainable offerings, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to the use of conscious materials in the creation of some of Karl Lagerfeld’s most iconic designs. In particular, the K/Kushion tote bag serves as the centre piece of the collection. “The K/Kushion bag is such a versatile style, and I love how ours will be made with innovative materials and respect for the environment,” said Amber Valletta.

Karl Lagerfeld, Amber Valetta, Bag, Sustainable bag, fashion collaboration, fashion meet activist, fashion activism, conscious accessories, spring 2021, SS 2021, K/Kushion bag, sustainable project, pier polo righi, sustainability collaborator, environmental sustainability, fashion conscious, tailor-made cushion bag, eco-friendly bag, eco-friendly, recyclable materials, plant-based bags, plant-based fashion

The KARL X AMBER VALLETTA K/Kushion totes are available in two eco-friendly material options. The first is crafted from vegan cactus leather, which is not only plant-derived but recyclable as well. The material is made with enormous water savings as no irrigation of the cactus crop is required, and it is grown without herbicides, pesticides or any other potentially harmful chemicals. The leather is coloured with organic pigments and is offered in two colourways, in two different textures: a rich earthy green with beautiful soft pleating and a classic black in a sleek and smooth finish. There is also a selection of cactus leather cardholders for a lower profile but still a timelessly chic and functional option.

The collection also uses recycled cotton for another take on its folded tote design, this time with a cosy quilted texture that is also available as a wash bag. The fabric is 90% recycled and certified by the Global Recycle Standard, an organisation that sets requirements for third-party accreditation of recycled content. Rounding out the collections is a reusable stainless steel water bottle and recycled cotton face mask, both mainstays of a sustainable lifestyle in 2021.

Pier Paolo Righi, CEO of KARL LAGERFELD, has said that he is “so excited to now bring Amber on board as a sustainability collaborator, to work on such a project and be able to benefit from her great insights and our shared passion for environmental sustainability.”

"To see it all coming to life is a great achievement and honor, I am convinced that Karl would have loved it.”

The collaboration is pledging to donate the profits generated from the sale of the KARL X AMBER VALLETTA K/Kushions to a charity that supports the goals of the Fashion Pact, which KARL LAGERFELD signed in 2019 as part of its continued efforts to reduce its environmental impact. The Pact functions as a commitment of more than 60 global fashion brands to build a more sustainable future for fashion in the areas of climate, oceans and biodiversity.