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		Custom Hand Crafted Leather Accessories Quarterly eNewsletter No.1 - May 5, 2003
April in Paris' New Creations
This month for our first newsletter, Beatrice wanted to give her readers an inside look at two new designs:
	Travel Bag > Her first design was developed based on a request for a traveling bag. After two mockups to achieve the style her client desired she created a two-tone, double strap bag as a carry-on or shoulder bag. It includes a zipper on the top and two pockets on each side for newspapers and magazines. The travel bag is great for trips to Aspen or Paris, or for new mothers to carry their newborn attire. To view this new design and many more, visit our Private Section.
	The Tosca Bag > The second creation this month was a burgundy millennium finish alligator handbag with hard sides for corner stitching (luggage pieces were made that way at the turn of the last century) and a leather closer with her signature 18-carat gold bee. Opera lovers beware; burgundy alligator is in this season. It's a great choice with a black or navy dress. To view this new design and many more, visit our Private Section.
April in Paris in the NEWS
On Monday April 7th, Beatrice was invited to City College of San Francisco's Fashion Department to discuss the craft of leather work and the manner in which she conducts her business in an era where craft and quality is not perceived as a profitable business. The two-hour discussion was spent with 70 students illustrating how the love of her work enabled her to take it to the highest level of craftsmanship possible and make it in this world of mass production. During the course of the evening Beatrice discovered that students were interested in apprenticing as a leather worker. To her knowledge, no school has ever been created, in the United States, to train individuals for this craft. Food for thoughts. For more news about April in Paris, visit our Press Section.
TIPS from Beatrice
After numerous questions from her clients, Beatrice decided to create a special "TIP" section. We hope you will find it useful and interesting.
	Taking care of your alligator products: The alligator products sold in California most likely come from Louisiana or possibly Florida. These domestic skins include the following finishes:
	> The Classic finish: Characterized by a high shine, the skin has been glazed with an agate stone. This was the first finish for reptiles. This finish is totally aniline. A clear polish will help to return your pieces with a classic finish to their original splendor.
..................N/A	> The Matte finish: Completely flat without shine at all. This finish is highly water resistant and offers a two-tone quality. Even if you polish it, it will not become shiny.
	> The Millennium finish: Is a combination of the classic and matte finishes. The shine is not as strong as a classic finish and is very soft like garment alligator used for clothing. You can polish your bag as you would a classic finish although it will not remain shiny.
	> The Nubuck finish: This finish has a voluptuous suede feel. Polish should not be utilized on this natural finish.
	Other finishes are utilized in the tannage process although much less frequent. If you should have any unanswered questions regarding your alligator products, please do not hesitate in contacting us at 415-750-9910.
	> To contact Beatrice: 415-750-9910 or bea@AprilinParis.us > To visit the April in Paris web site: www.AprilinParis.us
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