Coco Rocha On Pairing Up With Botkier New York On A Handbag Line

by Dena Silver

Coco Rocha has quite a few jobs on her CV, including model, TV judge, author, and most recently, mother. Next up? She’s collaborating with Botkier New York’s creative director Monica Botkier on a collection of bags that will hit stores next November, just in time for the 2015 holiday season. We reached out to the duo to get some details on how they first joined forces, and what we can expect from the collection…

Coco, what made you want to pair up with Botkier?
Coco Rocha: Over the years, I’ve turned down the opportunity [to collaborate] with other brands, usually for the reason that I felt they wanted my name more than they wanted my voice. With Monica, I knew that both she and the brand would value my ideas and opinions, and from the start, they have proved to be an amazing team to work with. In return, I’ve learned so much about the whole process and I’m so grateful to have had my imagination brought to life in this way.

Monica, why did you select Coco for this collaboration?
Monica Botkier: I love her energy, her aesthetic, her style and her as a person. Coco was always on my radar. Botkier had done a few collaborations with celebrities and artists in the past, but this was different; Coco is a fashion person in the truest sense, and she came prepared! Her vision is strong and directional. It’s like the edgy side of the Botkier girl.

How did you two meet?
Monica: I’d seen Coco out and about for some time. I attended her book launch; but it wasn’t until we started talking about this collaboration that we began to know each other. She’s a new mom and entrepreneur, so I can relate on a lot of levels. Coco embodies what we think of when we talk about the modern Botkier woman: She knows what she wants and goes for it. Besides, she is so lovely and gracious, and a real pleasure to work with.
Coco: Everyone in fashion knows the name Botkier, but I met Monica very casually at an event and I was instantly drawn to her. She’s smart and obviously very talented, but doesn’t come with a big ego or attitude.

What’s it like working with each other?
Monica: She was extremely hands-on, working with our team every step of the way! She provided sketches, color palettes and references of her own. The idea was to create fashion forward, luxe pieces inspired by her time spent in the four fashion capitals, geometry, strong lines and angular hardware with a touch of fur, faux of course!

Why do you think it’s important to be hands-on in this situation?
Coco: I think being hands-on is key to the success to these types of collaborations. The public is very savvy these days and know when they are being sold something that is not authentic. Each of these bags has my DNA and I know that this will be very evident. They tell the story of my career and speak to my aesthetic really well.

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