The Envelope

It all started with a fob and a bad toss. Back in 2019, when Theo Popilchak was working at a car dealership, his boss threw him a key fob. Popilchak missed catching it and the $500 gadget smashed on the ground. It got him thinking: “There has to be a way to protect something so expensive and fragile.” And so began his passion for working with leather.

“I started with the key cover and found I really liked the tactile feel and quality of leather,” Popilchak says.

Fast forward to today, and Popilchak is the artisan behind One21’s The Envelope purse. The Envelope stands out for its sumptuous leather, intricate design, structured shape and customizability. And it’s entirely handmade, exuding quiet luxury at a significantly lower price point than big-brand bags like the Birkin. “You can carry it knowing it’s thoughtfully made, very high-quality and didn’t cost the price of a car,” he says.

Popilchak’s journey from working at a dealership to becoming a full-time leather artisan is as surprising to himself as it may seem to others. “I wasn’t supposed to be doing this,” he says, noting that he has a degree in human kinetics, a minor in psychology, a background in sales and no formal training in leatherwork. But leather crafting was a passion that he couldn’t ignore. “I just fell in love with the creation process and craftsmanship that goes into working with leather. It’s a natural, organic material that can be shaped into anything you want it to be.”

Popilchak spent much time learning about leather and how to work with it, and also that not all leathers are created equal. The Envelope is made with the highest-quality leathers, sourced from Italian and French tanneries. “I work with 19 tanneries in Italy that came together to ‘rescue’ hides destined for the landfill,” says Popilchak. The leather is vegetable-tanned using natural ingredients such as tree bark, roots and leaves, as opposed to “genuine leather,” which is highly processed, not as durable and of unknown origin.

The meticulous crafting process for The Envelope starts with Popilchak drafting the shape and design on paper, then crafting a paper version of the bag for visualization. Final stencils are created in Adobe Illustrator. The leather is chosen, and each stencil piece is traced onto the material. The panels are cut, roughed on the back sides and glued together. The stitch holes are punched by hand. The rolled handles are hand-stitched to the bag. The nylon cross-body strap is sized and the ends are glued and stitched onto the strap. Finally, the bag is examined for any inconsistencies or issues.

But, for all the precision that goes into constructing his purses, Popilchak doesn’t want people to be too precious about them. “Nothing is sillier than spending [a lot of] money on something you have to baby,” he says. “When you think about the actual product — leather — it comes from cows who roam around in the bushes and live outside in a field. So it’s durable. You should be able to use it.” Should it start to show effects of that usage, One21 products can be fully serviced and revitalized for life.

Along with being this year’s Overall Grand Prize Winner, The Envelope is the perfect accessory for those who want a statement piece that whispers, rather than screams.

$550 to $650
one21goods.com

What the judges said:
“When I laid eyes on The Envelope, I immediately felt an electric energy. It was the same kind of excitement that I experienced when I discovered Claude Montana’s and Thierry Mugler’s work; I saw the future!” —Haithem Elkadiki