“Our approach is simply to make original and inspiring products,” says Amanda Briskin-Rettig, founder and creative director of A-ESQUE. “The objects created are the brand and the brand is the product.” 

This essentially modernist approach has underscored Amanda’s ethics and aesthetics since she first began designing 21 years ago. Her Mimco accessories brand is the stuff of fashion legend, rising to a stellar position of unrivalled popularity in Australia and internationally. Amanda sold Mimco a decade ago, to concentrate on other creative pursuits. 

Heeding the siren call of accessory design once again, in 2012 she launched A-ESQUE. “A is the first, the alpha, the very best,” she says. “A-ESQUE is ‘in the manner of A’.” 

Savvy, travelled and discerning, the A-ESQUE collector knows their own taste but is intrigued to be shown new directions. They don’t need celebrity endorsements or glossy advertising campaigns to seduce them – they’re aware of their own path. It’s one they’ve carved out for themselves. Architects, interior designers, frequent flyers, the A-ESQUE collector thinks global even when they choose to live local. 

Hand-made in Melbourne from finest Italian hides by a master pattern maker and a crack team of highly skilled craftspeople, each A-ESQUE bag is bespoke. Patterns are derived from graphic leather panelling and intricate stitching, the 18-carat gold A-ESQUE logo is discretely sewn on the inside. 

While international expansion is spearheaded through high-profile department stores such as Lane Crawford in Hong Kong and China, Australian distribution is primarily through A-ESQUE stand-alone stores. Each carefully curated boutique is artfully crafted to express the visually sophisticated essence of the product designs. A-ESQUE – In the Manner of A.