May 27, 2020. 73 days into the imposed community quarantine, we launched our little shop and started selling two products: leather masks and artisanal aprons. While it may seem that these two things don't have anything in common, their connection lies in their maker and the situation.
We backtrack days, weeks before Attique's launch, when we were deep into the metro's lockdown. We found ourselves stuck at home, our jobs on a sudden halt. Like many people, we had nothing to do but try to make something--anything, to tell ourselves that our days were not wasted. Creativity feeds the mind and calms the soul. It was a unique situation. Best of times, worst of times as Dickens wrote. While the threat of Covid-19 tore our livelihood apart, it was only now that we could focus on our passion to create without client and budget restrictions.
For Enzo, it was working with leather. Enzo is a set/stage designer and leather-crafting was an old hobby tucked away due to the busy demands of his pre-pandemic job. During the ECQ, he resumed his love for leather crafting and designed prototypes of leather face masks. Something he could wear as a statement piece that's also comfortable and breathable. Abi, his wife, is an avid baker. During the first weeks of the hard lockdown, Abi was cooking and baking every single day. Hence, the apron. She wanted one that's pretty and accentuated with leather--a superhero uniform, she said.
So this is the story of how Attique was built on these two products. Strangely, beautifully, things come together under the most difficult circumstances.
Current day. We have sold hundreds of masks and aprons through our social media platforms. Each purchase enriches our lives here in the workshop--our crew, whose families depend on this new unfamiliar livelihood. And us, for being able to pursue our passion. We hope our customers find the same comfort and joy in using our products as we have in making them.
*cover photo by Marvin Geronimo of Product Photography PH
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