Being able to afford name-brand luxury leather items is a status symbol. But some people want to take their investment purchases to the next level, personalizing the labels in a way that make the bags their own.
That’s where Singaporean artist Cherin Sim comes in.
Sim started her career as a purse designer before creating her own leather goods company. There, she made bags and other leather items to clients’ specifications. This included the actual design of the piece as well as any painting that would go on it.
Now, Sim’s main line of work is known as marquage art. Marquage means mark in French, and that’s just what Sim is doing on the luxury leather items that her clients bring to her. She holds in-depth conversations and interviews with her clients so that she can discern their artistic likes and dislikes, and proceeds with her designs from there. Sim has painted everything from a Hello Kitty with a Stormtrooper helmet on to a depiction of Hokusai’s famous painting The Wave on luxury leather goods. And as pricey as those handbags, wallets, totes, and other items are, Sim doesn’t come cheap herself. The prices for her intricate and sought-after work starts at $800.
The personalization could, in some ways, pay for itself. For one, clients come away from the experience with a truly one-of-a-kind artwork. Sim never paints the same thing twice. And wearable artwork is one accessible way for people to make their start in the world of collecting art. Between the cost of Sim’s painting and the luxury leather good itself, it’s not a cheap investment. But it can be more attainable than a painting or sculpture for first-time collectors.
Sim’s marquage art is a way to show clients’ personalities and luxury taste. That’s why this Singaporean artist has been featured in a new video series showcasing Singaporean entrepreneurs. Sim makes quite a living in her art business, usually completing five to ten bags every single month. And her pop art and twist on casual luxury makes her wildly sought after for personalized, exclusive, rare art.
Art can take you in unexpected twists and turns in your life. For example, if you’ve always loved art, you could have the chance to turn a passion into a career. Visit SGArtClass.com to browse an extensive listing of classes you can easily enroll in to start enhancing your own artistic skills. Even if you’ve never sat down and dedicated your time and attention to making a work of art, you could very well discover unknown and untapped creative skills through an art class with the expert teachers at SGArtClass.com. From oil painting to portrait drawing, comic drawing to nail art, mural painting to miniature painting, there is an art class sure to ignite your creativity and lead you down a new road.
To read more about Cherin Sim’s art and the artist video series, go to https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/made-in-singapore-video-series.