St. Gallen embroidery and watchmaking, the two fields of Swiss expertise that has reigned supreme over the years, have been brought together for the first time by Hublot to offer women a new accessory that would give their wardrobe more options in the area of self-expression. Hublot has teamed up with Bischoff, the St. Gallen based embroiderers par excellence, to create six embroidered straps in a range of patterns and colors to add to its One-Click interchangeable strap collection. To these are added two new Cuddly Cuffs in Orylag.
The One-Click strap is a patented watchstrap attachment system that allows wearers to change their strap with a single click. It is ideal for women’s fundamental need for versatility and to assert one’s uniqueness. The current collection, for the Spring-Summer 2019 season, was put together for Hublot’s ladies Big Bang models.
The six new embroidered straps, created with the help of the Bischoff workshops in St. Gallen, are available in two patterns – a tweed and an ethnic design – and both are available in three color schemes: fuchsia-Bordeaux, green-pink, and turquoise-blue. The tweed pattern strap was designed using a very narrow bourdon stitch, while the ethnic design uses a bean stitch, which gives the illusion of a braid. The two embroidered patterns were created on silk organza fabric from Como, Italy. The Bischoff workshops produce signature fabrics for use by some of the biggest names in fashion and haute couture.
The textile tradition in St. Gallen dates back to the Middle Ages when it was renowned for its linen fabric. However, in 1828, with the invention of the embroidery machine by Joshua Heilmann, St. Gallen became the global hub of the mechanized embroidery industry. By the late 19th century, Switzerland’s biggest export was embroidery. The Hublot straps were manufactured by one of the latest iterations of mechanized embroidery, the Lässer 2-yard machine.
For the Spring-Summer 2019 season, Hublot has also extended the range of colors for the Cuddly Cuff in Orylag rabbit down to complement the new straps. Through the expertise of an artisan furrier, Hublot is offering two new “on-trend” colors: Fuchsia and turquoise straps are lined with soft black or white down.