About

ARE STUDIO is a Los Angeles-based company specializing in leather bags and limited edition clothing collections, offering daily-wear pieces with a timeless and understated approach since 2016. Our accessories take on the personality of the wearer —  over time, each piece becomes a unique record of a life well-lived.

Our name is inspired by the plural and present tense of the verb “to be,” and this is how our pieces are meant to be experienced — in motion, in the moment, a way to express ourselves and show others who we are. 

Founder, Cecilia Bordarampé sketches every design by hand, having a personal touch throughout all steps of the process. She works closely with our leather craftsman, located only a short mile from our downtown studio. We are proud to have worked with the same family-owned manufacturer since 2015. 

Our leather pieces are made with natural cowhides.  The hides are inherently unique, with slight imperfections, making each bag a one-of-a-kind piece – a natural grain, a soft touch, a depth that enhances with wear.  We are proud to work with a leather tannery that meets the highest environmental standards for leather production, indicating superior performance in areas like water and energy management, chemical use, waste reduction, and traceability.

All fabrics used for ready to wear limited editions are sourced down the street from our studio, only using deadstock/overstock textiles, closing the loop of excess waste in the industry.  Since our clothing capsules are limited, once they sell out, the fabrics are never duplicated. 

Are Studio is very intentionally a small company with the goal never being to scale up or accept investor capital. We love being a small team that manages all the ins and outs of the business, working at a sustainable pace, keeping it intimate. We keep production close to home in Los Angeles, having each piece pass through our own hands before arriving in yours.

Over time, your Are Studio pieces will soften, deepen, and become even more personal, a record of you.