Coast of Normandy, France
Hitoe® Fold Aria - Etretat -

《Collection introduction》

The coast of Etretat surrounded by light

The coast of Etretat, in the Normandy region of France, is lined with white limestone cliffs. The coast, surrounded by gentle light and a calm and poetic landscape, has fascinated artists such as Monet.
An original calf leather inspired by the symphony played by nature.

The most distinctive feature is the varying shades of color, which took over a year and a half to make adjustments and prototypes. Even the monochromatic colors such as ``Limestone'' and ``Midnight'' are inspired by the deep colors of Etretat, with exquisite nuances of shading.

(Click on the " About Etretat Leather " tab for details)

Going to France in search of the best original leather

Tannerie Degermann, where we custom made our original leather, is located in BARR, a town surrounded by vineyards, 35 kilometers south of Strasbourg in the Alsace region of France.

That's why we asked Degarment to produce our original leather. This is because they are France's oldest and best tanners, and have a deep knowledge of tradition and quality.

Etretat was finally completed after many exchanges of opinions with France's Des Garments.

Decorating the end of the history of Degarment Co., Ltd.

Due to the changing times, DeGyerman also chose to merge its business with neighboring Haas (also founded in the 19th century). After the production of our leather, the historic Degarment factory will be closed and renovated into a museum.

Etretat, the final product in the history of the company Desgiers, is the fruit of tradition, passion and technology. Their craftsmanship and Etretat production will be inherited by Haas and aim for even greater heights.

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"Description of item"

To complete functional beauty

“Perfection is a state where it cannot be removed any further.”
These are the words left behind by Saint-Exupéry, the author of "The Little Prince."

Hitoe® structure that prevents stacking of stored items (registered design) , inner hook that achieves a minimal design without metal fittings and smooth operation (patented) , slipless design that prevents cards from falling (patent pending) .

"Hitoe® Fold Aria" is the completed product of the Hitoe® Fold series, which has the ultimate in minimalism in both design and operability.

Through sophisticated design and exquisite craftsmanship, it has been sublimated into a breathtakingly complete piece of functional beauty.

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Light as air “Aria”

"Aria" means "air" in Italian.
A wallet so light and thin that you forget it's there, like air.

Challenge to thinness

Achieved thinness with Hitoe® structure (registered design) that does not overlap cards and coins.

・Maximum of 5 pieces of overlapping leather & no hardware・The thickest part when stored is 12mm
(When storing 6 cards, 10 bills, and 10 100 yen coins)
・Palm size 89mm x 91mm
・Light like air, about 30g

Can hold up to 15 bills, 20 coins, and 6 cards. Even when fully packed, it remains thin.

Top-class, unparalleled tailoring

All parts are made from two thin pieces of leather pasted together into a single piece. Using a technique that is said to be the ultimate luxury in leather products, it achieves both strength and thinness.

It takes a wealth of experience and skill to create a finish that looks like a single piece of leather without lifting or bending when folded.

thin details

For the ends, overlap the leather and sew on the outside. This is because we are particular about "thinness". If you fold the leather and roll it inside, you can make it smaller, but the leather will overlap and become thicker.

The details are faithful to the ideal of a "thin wallet".

While pursuing thinness, the leather is sufficiently thick, and we value the textures typical of leather, such as tension and stiffness.

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Inner hook without metal fittings

A new idea of ​​using the stored cards as clasps

We devised an inner hook (patented) in which the card itself becomes a clasp.

This idea made possible the minimal design of the small, thin wallet Hitoe® Fold Aria, without any hardware .

Not only does it act as a clasp, but it also prevents the card from falling when you carry it.

Sandwiched with leather. But that's it.

Flat appearance just sandwiched between leather. There are no metal fittings or flaps that stick out, so they won't get caught in your pocket.

It is designed so that the inner hook will not come off when it is turned inside out. Therefore, there is no need to worry about mistaking the front and back sides and dropping coins.

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Minimal and smooth operation

It can be easily opened and closed by bending it into a dogleg shape. With this one action, you can smoothly insert and remove coins and cards while keeping the wallet vertical.

Leave the banknotes as they are without folding them

Don't fold the banknotes, just insert them as is. High visibility and easy to take out. Since it does not bend, it can easily fit into vending machines and self-checkout machines.

The bill holder has a continuous design with the inner hook. The curve acts as a guide, allowing you to insert and remove it smoothly without getting caught.

Prevent cards from falling

When closed, the inner hook hangs on the card so it won't fall. Adopts a slipless design (patent pending) that prevents cards from falling even when the wallet is open. The feeling of sliding the card is of high quality, and it is comfortable to put in and take out the card.

Use temporary cards as billholders. There is no problem with opening and closing the wallet.

Smooth and overflowing coin pocket

The coin pocket is shallow and has no metal fittings such as zippers or hooks. Therefore, you can quickly retrieve the coins you need. When storing the coin pocket, the lid of the coin pocket acts as a guide for smooth storage.

Also, if you close your wallet, the coins will not overflow. Even when the coin pocket is open, the lid of the coin pocket prevents it from overflowing.

There is plenty of room even if you put in 999 yen worth (15 pieces).

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Minimal design recognized around the world

19 prestigious design awards from around the world

The Hitoe® Fold series has been highly acclaimed for its functional and minimalist design, and has won awards at the world's three major design awards, iF Design Award , Red Dot Design Award, IDEA , as well as major international awards such as London, New York, Paris, and Milan. It has won 19 design awards .

(Click on the " Product Achievements " tab for detailed award results)

Design that follows the laws of nature

“Why is the golden ratio beautiful?”
The golden ratio of 1:1.62 is the aspect ratio of a rectangle with spiral repeating squares whose sides are the Fibonacci sequence . (Figure below)

In fact, the Fibonacci sequence is hidden everywhere in nature. The branches of trees, the number of petals, sunflower seeds, seashells, typhoons, spiral galaxies. It can also be found in art of the utmost beauty, such as the pyramids, the Parthenon, and the 36 Views of Mt.

The important thing is not to achieve the golden ratio. Proportions from the details to the whole follow the Fibonacci sequence , which is deeply related to nature and the providence of life, resulting in a well-balanced design that resonates with the heart .

beautiful details

Precise and delicate stitching, polished leather edges that show the overlap of the leather.
The small thin wallet Hitoe® Fold Aria pursues beauty down to the smallest detail.

Can be used beautifully for a long time

In general, most problems with wallets are caused by hardware or sewing. However, Hitoe® Fold, a small, thin wallet, uses no hardware and only has four stitches. Furthermore, the corners that are easily damaged are layered with outer leather and inner leather to increase durability. The seam allowance is extremely small, making it a design that won't lose its shape even in a pants pocket.