Our Story
Can you reinvent a story without ever denying what built it?
For years, Berthie came to life through clothing. Pieces created with high standards, produced in small quantities and designed to last beyond seasons.
But a brand is never static.
It grows through encounters, travels and new desires. It evolves with the women who wear it.
Today, a new page is being written. Not because Berthie’s story is coming to an end, but because it is opening a new chapter.
A chapter where materials become more raw. More alive. Where leather meets raffia. Where craftsmanship takes center stage again. Where every detail speaks as much of skill as it does of the time it took to create it.
This autumn, KITAP will come to life. A brand entirely dedicated to bags.
Creations designed to accompany everyday life, made slowly and by hand, with the same high standards that have always guided Berthie: to create less, but create better.
KITAP was born from the belief that the most beautiful pieces are the ones we keep for a long time. The ones that carry the traces of life, journeys and passing seasons.
To create is to embrace change. To have the courage to leave behind what we know and explore new territory.
It is to begin again with the perspective of the early days, without losing what has always defined us: a love for beautiful materials, respect for craftsmanship, and the desire to create objects made to stand the test of time.
This autumn marks the beginning of this new adventure.
Leather and Raffia
There are materials that have been part of us long before we ever imagine turning them into a profession.
For me, raffia is one of them.
I grew up between two cultures, French and Malagasy. France gave me an appreciation for beautiful lines, timeless objects and exceptional materials. Madagascar gave me an even more precious heritage: craftsmanship.
As a child, I spent hours watching artisans transform a simple raffia fibre. With their hands and infinite patience, they created baskets, hats, bags and everyday objects. By their side, I came to understand that beauty lies not only in the result, but also in the time, the gesture and the craftsmanship behind it.
When I imagined this brand, returning to raffia felt like an obvious choice. It was a way to reconnect with my roots, celebrate the women and men who preserve these ancestral techniques, and tell the story of Madagascar in a different way.
I naturally chose to pair this raffia with Italian leather. A leather selected for its quality, softness and ability to develop a beautiful patina over time. The meeting of these two materials — one raw and alive, the other refined and enduring — perfectly reflects the world I wanted to create.
Each piece is conceived as a dialogue between my two cultures: designed with French sensibility, handwoven in Madagascar by skilled artisans, then enhanced with Italian leather finishes.
I hope that when you wear one of our creations, you will feel a little of this story. A story of returning to our roots, of a passion for beautiful materials, and of a deep respect for those who transform them with their hands.
— Cynthia
