Alpha Cruxis

Stunning sculptural leather bags / clutches by Australian-born, Berlin based Rebecca Martin of Alpha Cruxis. Photo – Monika Holzner, art direction / styling – Rebecca Martin. Model – Svenja Y Seidel.

Leather bag by Australian-born, Berlin based Rebecca Martin of Alpha Cruxis. Photo – Monika Holzner, art direction / styling – Rebecca Martin. Model – Svenja Y Seidel.

Bag by Australian-born, Berlin based Rebecca Martin of Alpha Cruxis.  Photo – Monika Holzner, art direction / styling – Rebecca Martin. Model – Svenja Y Seidel.

Today we're shining the spotlight on a promising young Australian designer who is earning her stripes whilst based in Europe.  Rebecca Martin was born in Launceston, Tasmania and grew up between Tasmania and country Victoria (Inverloch and Warrnambool).  She graduated  from the Bachelor of Design (Fashion) at RMIT in Melbourne with First Class Honours in 2010, then headed to Europe the following year to intern at respected Danish fashion house Barbara i Gongini, Copenhagen.  She's now based in Berlin, and has just launched her own accessories line, Alpha Cruxis, in May this year. Alpha Cruxis specialises in hand crafted leather bags, which are 100% created in-house in Rebecca's Berlin studio!  Every process is done by hand, right down to the last stitch. 'My specialisation in leather came from discovering the dramatic shapes that were possible using 3mm thick leather, typically used for belts and saddlery, which I began to work with during my graduate year at RMIT' says Rebecca. 'My first bags were in a group exhibition as part of L’oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival in 2011. I got such a good response for them - I knew I was onto something!' The decision to start Alpha Cruxis eventually came at the end of 2011, whilst Rebecca was living in Copenhagen, doing her design internship at Barbara i Gongini.  'It was a fantastic experience, but instead of more interning and then searching for a job, I decided to put that energy into my own work' explains Rebecca. 'I figured if I was going to have to struggle, I should struggle for my own work'. After visiting Berlin in the summer of 2011, Rebecca had really connected with the breadth of creativity going on there, so once her internship in Copenhagen was complete, she moved to Berlin and began work on Alpha Cruxis in 2012. With their sculptural forms and minimal clean lines, Rebecca's first range is striking in its simplicity.  Ornamentation has been stripped back, to reveal bold, almost architectural forms. 'Form is central to this collection, and I have kept other elements to the bare minimum' says Rebecca. The full range can be purchased from the Alpha Cruxis online store - prices range from $260 - $690 AUD.

Bag by Australian-born, Berlin based Rebecca Martin of Alpha Cruxis.  Photo – Monika Holzner, art direction / styling – Rebecca Martin. Model – Svenja Y Seidel.