“A luxury bag without the luxury price,” Signoles says of her canvas-based designs, which were inspired by her own struggles trying to pack up the contents of a small car using a range of dysfunctional, disparate parcels and bags she had with her at the time.
Since when did buying and storing things get so laborious? Signoles says that most consumers probably don’t put practicality first any more when it comes to buying bags. When she started conceptualising L/Uniform, she wanted to make a bag that would “take care of everything for you”.
Signoles will be the first to admit that, most of the time, practical bags aren’t very nice. But what makes L/Uniform’s designs stand out is Signoles’ conviction in the power and beauty of a simple bag. “For me, a bag is a bag,” she says. “The most important thing is to have a utilitarian bag, to help you have a comfortable day. To give you the opportunity to carry everything you want for your day. It’s not pretentious.”
Is Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton Millionaire Speedy the priciest bag ever made?
Is Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton Millionaire Speedy the priciest bag ever made?
Signoles’ unwavering faith in her vision is the secret to her brand’s continued success over the years. Even as other brands in a competitive market have changed their tune time and time again, chasing trends and creating new designs at a near-breakneck pace, L/Uniform has stayed true to its original canvas bag, evolving on a slower but more steady and steadfast timeline from Paris, to Japan, and now Hong Kong.
“What is luxury?” Signoles asks, as more of a rhetorical question. “Luxury is quality,” she answers. “It’s good material. It takes time to do well.”
L/Uniform’s business model pays tribute to this philosophy. While the brand has been in business for nearly a decade, it’s gradually expanded its repertoire to just over 100 styles, a testament to Signoles’ dedication to quality control.
Style file: 3 fashionable finds to know this month, from skirts to skateboards
Style file: 3 fashionable finds to know this month, from skirts to skateboards
Canvas might not be what consumers think of when they talk about luxury materials – most might cite leather or silk – but, as Signoles says, other brands are finally catching on.
This is where L/Uniform’s craftsmanship comes in. “My idea is to be a canvas specialist,” Signoles says. Many brands now, she says, make canvas bags, but their quality leaves much to be desired. “It’s only in cotton, not nylon and cotton.”
Signoles was well aware when she launched L/Uniform back in 2015 that getting consumers to embrace canvas bags would be an uphill battle, but knew from the beginning that the quality of her designs would turn the tide in her favour. The French designer oversees every detail of her operation, from the colour of the cotton used down to the finest qualities of her materials.
Inside Pedder Arcade, Hong Kong’s new luxury lifestyle destination
Inside Pedder Arcade, Hong Kong’s new luxury lifestyle destination
“When I started L/Uniform, I was not convinced [I’d be able] to convince people,” Signoles says. “Because everybody used to wear leather.” But she knows her canvas bags, with their Swiss zips, are of excellent quality, and when products like these are available on the market, customers will eventually change their mentality and be convinced.
Signoles says her freedom as an independent designer, and full control over her brand’s output, is what has allowed her to continue pushing the idea of “canvas” – and L/Uniform – forward. Instead of opening everywhere, she wanted to find a good partner. Now, as she looks to expand in China and Hong Kong, her priority is to understand the expectations of local customers.
L/Uniform’s debut in the city at Lane Crawford has been a long time coming. “Most of the people told me, OK, [for] Hong Kong and China, you need to have a logo,” says Signoles, referring to the luxury brand practice of slapping logos over their products. In the end, she waited 10 years for this trend to fade. “[Timing] is super important.”
The Hong Kong artist making playful cardboard copies of luxury watches
The Hong Kong artist making playful cardboard copies of luxury watches
But for L/Uniform’s bags, quiet luxury also translates to a quiet confidence. Clearly influenced by her time in Japan, the minimalist aesthetics are tangible in her designs. Signoles believes there’s nothing boring about utilitarianism and uniformity – a nod towards the brand’s name. She compares the act of creating your own uniform to that of building your own identity.
“I love uniforms. It’s super solid. It’s timeless,” says Signoles. The brand has introduced personalisation services to L/Uniform to show that uniformity and individuality aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.
When it comes to showing off personal style, “the most important thing is to trust in yourself,” says Signoles. She makes a convincing case – after all, this is the woman who managed to build an empire out of humble canvas. Some people – and bags – just speak for themselves.
