Julia Edelman founded Edelman New York in 2018 after the passing of her grandparents, Teddy and Arthur Edelman. ENY is a tribute to their everlasting love and legacy, and a true heritage brand. Growing up in a world where life and design were one and the same, Julia’s designs are an homage to the tradition of both making and collecting treasures. The multi-disciplinary luxury design firm specializes in interiors, custom furniture, fine art, and leather goods. Her long-established heritage remains devoted to quality, craftsmanship, design, and sustainability. She creates one-of-a-kind spaces and contemporary heirloom pieces, through the use of rich, natural materials, carrying on a legacy that lives four generations strong. The heart and soul of ENY has a rich patina, aged with beauty, passion, devotion, and love like no other.

Where are you from and where do you live now?  I grew up on a farm in Ridgefield, CT and I now live in Greenwich Village, NYC. 

Tell us about your family’s busines— Edelman Leather?  Edelman Leather was a family business, one that deeply ingrained the richness of leather into each and every one of us. Today, leather is personal, to all of us. Knowing good leather is like having a good friend. Edelman Leather is no longer a family company, it was sold to Knoll in 2007, and most recently sold to Herman Miller. 

What is your first memory of leather? My earliest memory of leather is the smell - whenever I smell leather today I know I’m in the right place. Running around the leather warehouse with my cousins, playing hide and seek between inventory. 

Favorite stories or memories with your grandparents? My favorite memories with my grandparents are sunsets on the farm and our drives into manhattan. My grandparents were very elegant people, full of character and stories from around the world. They had such a way of being able to make you feel so important. Every life achievement meant a trip to their house to get a “job well done” and a full hearted congratulations. My grandfather and I used to make trips into Manhattan together frequently, and I will never forget the feeling of getting dressed up to go into New York, sitting in the backseat of his Mercedes, that rich smell of leather and our deep life conversations.

What inspired you to start Edelman New York? ENY has always been a part of my soul. Even as a small child, I knew I wanted a legacy of my own someday. One that represented my family, our values and deeply ingrained aesthetic. I grew up working for my uncle, Sam Edelman and from a very early age, I knew I wanted to be in “fashion”, but I didn't want to be limited to just that. I officially started ENY after the passing of my grandparents. ENY is an homage to them, and the inspiration that they planted so deeply in all of us. The legacy continues…

What is the inspiration behind the snake logo?  The inspiration behind the snake logo comes from the whimsy that Andy Warhol brought to my grandparents in the 60s - one of his first big jobs in New York, before he was famous. His art is very personal to my family, as he created our family emblem for our farm in CT, and many of the illustrations in my grandparent’s bedroom/throughout their house. He did all of their advertising for over a decade, and was a close friend of my grandparents. The snake logo is a bit of the history and whimsy of Edelman New York. 

Who or what inspires you?  My greatest inspiration begins with my materials. I draw inspiration from all of my travels, the way things are made and mostly, by designing my way through life - everyday desires. From my leather bag to my furniture - eventually clothing and hospitality. 

Favorite materials to work with and why?  My favorite materials to work with are leather, metal, and anything organic/from the earth. To me, that is the most important aspect of an object/product. That is what defines luxury. Call me biased, but my parents owned a metal fabrication company while I was growing up - the permanence of metal and leather - materials that are meant to last with outstanding beauty are my favorite. I create/collect things that are meant to be around forever. 

Favorite travel destinations? I love adventure travel - off the beaten path, the path less traveled, however, you’d like to describe it. From the desert, to the jungle and the sea. I like feeling uncomfortable. I like learning by experience and seeing things for myself. 

Where are you looking forward to traveling next?  Wherever the wind takes me. However, I am really looking forward to traveling to Europe and beginning production. 

Daily uniform?  Easy -  jeans and a t-shirt. I love getting dressed up, but when I’m working, I can’t have my clothes holding me back. Preferably, I love to work naked, but when I must, jeans and a t-shirt. 

What’s in your bag?  Wallet, keys, backup key (because I’m terrible with keys), a little Dagne and Dover pouch that holds all my emergency needs - ie sunscreen, emergency snack bar, chapstick, concealer, lighter, samples of Maison d’Etto perfume, you know, that sort of thing ;)

Packing or Travel tips?  You're not going to wear that shirt/dress/whatever it is that you never wear, so don’t pack it! Try on all of your outfits before you pack them, and make sure that whatever jacket you’re bringing matches multiple outfits. Stick to a carry on and make sure you bring a large reusable bag that you can carry as your “second personal item” - fill it with your laptop bag, purse and travel pillow. 

Who is your dream client?   My dream customer is anyone who identifies with Edelman New York - (I say she, because I believe that feminine energy is the most beautiful, but not meant to be discriminatory), but she is a woman of the times, but also timeless. She can  fit in anywhere. She  loves adventure, connection and life. She is someone that is not flush with labels defining her worth, but someone who’s personal style and character speak first and foremost. The Edelman woman is free. Her favorite place in the entire world is her own dimension. She's not afraid to really live. Her home is filled with things she’s found all over the world. Her life is an adventure. More than anything, she cares about quality over quantity. 

Is there a men’s line in the future?   Anyone can carry ENY :) Anything is unisex if you want it to be. But yes, there is definitely a “mens” line in the future. 

What is the inspiration behind the bag names? The bags are named after people and things that have deeply moved me deeply and shaped my personal character. The Arturo bag is named after my grandfather, Arthur. Shorty is the nickname that my uncle used to call me when I was growing up working for his company Sam Edelman shoes - where I worked from the ground up learning the ins and outs of the industry. And Charles, oh boy charles. Charles is a sometimes lover, all time friend that showed me what big love is at a time when i needed it most. Defining characters of my life. 

Is sustainability a factor for you?  Sustainability is one of our  biggest factors. The life cycle of a bag/product begins far before the finished item. Where our materials come from, what they are made from, how they are processed, where they are sold, how long they last - these are just a few of the considerations. ENY seeks to spread awareness of leather being a leading sustainable material. “Vegan leather” is a greenwashed marketing horror. It's made of PVC/PU which are some of the worst plastics that you can create, and then end up in a landfill shortly after. Leather is repairable, lasts forever, and only gets better with time. It is a byproduct of the food industry that would have otherwise been wasted. ENY travels all over the world hand sourcing our materials, making sure they come from the best of the best, ensuring ethical treatment and zero waste. You can always be proud to wear ENY. We certainly are.

You are also a furniture designer. Tell us about that?  Furniture is a big love of mine that comes from designing my way through life. I draw inspiration from all of my travels, creating pieces that I look forward to coming home to. My parents owned a metal fabrication company while I was growing up, so I was no stranger to heavy metal objects. I designed my first collection of furniture in 6th grade after choosing the perfect color for my bedroom - a muddy green charcoal that I envisioned blackened steel sitting perfectly with. (see J1-J3 furniture). My dad manufactured it for me, and from there, I realized the possibilities were endless. My senior thesis in high school was a 4-piece round sectional made from brass with a rainbow patina and brazed bronze welds. I graduated from Parsons in 2020, expecting to go straight into bags, but when the pandemic hit, I fell back in love with furniture and interior design because that's what made more sense in a world with people at home. This back-to-back love affair between bags and furniture is really the essence of ENY, designing our way through life and adapting to whatever life throws at us.

Favorite design periods? I love art deco, art nouveau, brutalist, and mid-century. In no specific order.

Favorite designers?  I love so many designers, but the two that stick out are Paul Evans and Pierre Yavannovitch. 

Your bags are handmade in Florence, Italy. Tell us about that process?  Traditional craftsmanship is at the very heart of what we do. Our bags are handmade by third-generation leather artisans in the center of Florence, the leather capital of the world. Most people assume this is how all luxury is made - by an old artisan sitting by the window artfully working away, but that is not the case. Luxury today is mass-produced by unskilled, underpaid immigrant workers, with machines doing nearly 80-90% of the work. There is rarely a human hand involved in the production, which means careless assembly and poor quality production. The price consumers are paying for luxury goods is a small fraction of the cost to produce - a value that is dependent on a logo/brand name, distracting you from the uneven stitches, cheap materials, and misshapen structure. At ENY, every last detail is carefully accounted for. Our pieces are produced with the highest quality materials, from leather to thread. More than anything, there is love and passion stitched into each bag that we create, creating a unique connection between product and consumer - one that is cherished from both sides.

Favorite local places in Florence?  For the best local groceries, Mercato Centrale. Best vintage - Street Doings. Best boutique shopping for Italian brands - Flow Store. 

Favorite local places in New York? Newsbar Cafe on University, EN Japanese Brasserie, Socialista, Raul’s, Carbone, Sant Ambroeus Soho, New York Pilates, Washington Square Park

You are a part of Maison d’ Etto fragrance. Tell us about your love of scent?  When I first met Brie, the founder of Maison d’Etto, I felt instantly connected to her and her brand. Each scent is inspired by a horse that made a pivotal impact on her life, and that deeply resonated with me and some of my family history. After smelling Macanudo, I was instantly taken to the farm that I grew up on, about 11am on a Saturday morning after the grass had just been cut. I knew right away that I wanted to be a part of her brand. The power of scent and the beauty of her brand created a lifetime connection that I cherish very much. Love my little MdE fam, V included!! 

Daily routine? I start every day with a smoothie. Love great skincare products, but mostly use prescription creams/treatments recommended by my dermatologist. 

Favorite works of art and museums? Rothko forever, The Met, and the Louvre. 

PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE

What is your idea of perfect happiness? What a good question… one that I think about often. Perfect happiness is when you really know yourself. It gets even better when you find a partner that matches your life and adds to it in the most magnificent ways, making you feel supported and loved in all the ways you never even knew before. My ideals of perfect happiness are intertwined with adventure, love, a little bit of pot and places that make you feel lucky to be alive. Perfect happiness is accepting the things that you cannot control, and diving deep into the human experience. 

What is your greatest fear? My greatest fear is losing my memories/sight/senses. 

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I am a really picky eater - sometimes it feels like a handicap. 

What is the trait you most deplore in others? Lack of self-awareness, rudeness.

Which living person do you most admire? Without getting too specific, I admire people who have a go-getter attitude, eclectic sense of humor, and a deep appreciation for life/surroundings. 

What is your greatest extravagance? A checked bag while traveling… and my pillows! 

What is your current state of mind? My current state of mind is building my life - making it as beautiful as possible in every way that I can. To not follow the norm, and to continue practicing living my life outside the box.

On what occasion do you lie? I am generally a very honest person, (the New Yorker in me), however, I don’t like following stupid rules that don’t make sense, and will fenangle my way out with an extravagant claim/reason for exception.

Which living person do you most despise? I don’t think that I despise anyone… I would like to think I remove myself from a situation before I'm able to reach that point. 

What is the quality you most like in a man? A great beard, genuine kindness, and handyman skills

What is the quality you most like in a woman? Kind confidence and support for other women. 

What or who is the greatest love of your life? Still being written, but I’m lucky enough to say that there have been a few :)

When and where were you happiest? Happiness is a state that I am constantly striving to stay in. I think I do a really good job of following what feels true to my heart and trusting my gut. Aside from great friends, believing in myself, constant adventure, and working hard makes me the happiest. 

Which talent would you most like to have? I would love to be able to speak multiple languages.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would stop being a picky eater and turn into an adventurous one.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? My greatest achievement is Edelman New York - all the things that I make and all the places around the world it has taken me. 

Where would you most like to live? New York is home, that has always been the dream/vision, however, it’s not an ideal place to start a family. Land/nature is really important to me. Still working out where home number 2 feels right. I can definitely say, it will be a place that makes me feel lucky to be alive. 

What is your most treasured possession? That is a hard one… I have many treasures that I’ve collected from all over the world, and many treasurers inherited from my grandparents. The first thing that comes to mind (aside from my ENY creations) is this beautiful Chinese Art Deco Rug from my grandparents.  

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? There are a million ways to answer this, but the first thing that comes to mind is corporate America, working in a cubicle from 9-5. 

What do you most value in your friends? People that are doing big things with their life, who motivate me to do the same. Strong support, understanding, and open minds. People who want to make the most of their life and live outside the lines. 

Who are your heroes in real life? My grandparents, although they are now gone. 

What are your favorite names? Amelia, Charles, Daisy, and Jack. 

How would you like to die? I would like to die old, in my sleep, next to the love of my life, in the house of my dreams, after spending the day in my garden surrounded by people that I love. 

What is your motto? Live big, design the life of your dreams, and be grateful. Only take when there is plenty, and help others along the way. 

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Text: Veronica H. Speck