The Fino Leatherware x Royal Pineda Collection Aims to Outlast Lifetimes

A surface-level understanding of how the life of your trusty leather overnight bag goes something like this: buy a good one once and get your money's worth. The Atlas Collection, the brainchild of architect and designer Royal Pineda and Fino founder Rommel Bautista, goes a step further.

These artisan-level pieces are vehicles for stories and memories that shape the owner's identity. Every scratch and crease is an added wrinkle to your collection. The more you use a piece, the more meaning it holds.

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Pineda and Bautista, a colossal meeting of the minds from titans in their own fields of design, focused on creating a unique slotted weave referencing pre-colonial Cordilleran techniques to reinforce Filipino identity in the world of luxury leatherware.

Each Atlas crossbody bag, overnight bag, clutch bag, and tote bag is marked with the "A" logo, which doubles as a cheeky nod to a nautical divider.

So, what drove the architect to meticulous conceptualization for this collection? Turns out, he just wanted a "lived-in" bag grounded on functionality, class, and nothing that bordered on pretentious.

"Atlas is like the collection of maps when you travel. Atlas is the one who carries. But this time you carry an identity. Carrying the Atlas bag is carrying your identity as a Filipino, a modern Filipino," Pineda told Esquire Philippines on the sidelines of the Atlas Collection launch at the Fino Leatherware boutique at Powerplant Mall in Makati City.

From left to right: Rommel Bautista and Royal Pineda

Pineda showcasing the crossbody bag with the unique slotted weaving from the Atlas Collection

A breakdown of the intricate details and materials used in the Atlas Collection

The architect didn't have to look very far to land on authentic and fresh weaving patterns other leather makers were incorporating. He took ancient Filipino weaving patterns that deserved to be refreshed for this generation.

"We've created and patented this weaving that has the slotted weave to make the leather breathe and give it structure and depth. Weaving is already from the Cordillera a long time ago," the designer said, stressing that he only crafted things that he could relate to and products that he would actually use.

Rommel Bautista narrated the attention to detail needed to craft each bag, since punching the leather takes several days to finish and there's no room for error. Unless you're okay wasting precious leather.

"For someone of his caliber, it was striking and refreshing to me that Royal would choose a locally-made bag over the usual luxury brands. After seeing that photo, I immediately had this idea of inviting him to do a collaboration with us," the Fino founder said, who is also an eye surgeon by trade.

He was referring to a photo sent to him of Pineda standing on a curb in Germany, sporting a Fino Overnighter.

The Fino Atlas Collection overnight bag

A clutch bag from the Atlas Collection

Pineda also enthusiastically went on about how the Cordillera-based weaving patterns create robust, breathable pieces that do not fall short of depth and dimension, which is where most conventional leather weaves fail to execute.

Rose Ann Bautista, Rommel's wife and vice-president for marketing and retail operations for Fino, said there is an undeniable sense of connection established every time she sees a Fino bag or product in the wild.

"If that is a Fino bag and I see it, I'm going to be happy. It doesn't have to be a super big person. But of course we're grateful for the ones who were gifted these items," she told Esquire Philippines at the same launch, referencing commissions to fashion the Supreme Court's desk in Fino leather, and the well-documented gifts to world leaders such as ex-US President Barack Obama, and our own Philippine leaders.

"I like to think that it's nice to be part of the total bandwagon that's creating something bigger. We never really thought of it being big. We just like to focus on certain values that we feel are going to be very meaningful."

A tote bag from the Atlas Collection

The Overnight bag from the Atlas Collection

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