What do Demna’s former Swiss home, sacred geometry, and Swiss healer Emma Kunz have in common? They all inspired Marcela Velez’s latest project, House Number .01, which is driven by numerology. The brand launched today, September 9—also known as 9/9, with nine being the number for “completion.” This made-to-order label marks a fresh start for the handbag designer, focusing on slow, thoughtful design. “I wanted to create something more than just a physical product or a fashion item,” Velez tells Vogue. “Each bag, each piece, has a beautiful story and a specific energy because every detail was chosen with a clear intention.”
Photo: House Number .01
Velez first made her mark in handbags in her early 20s back in 2012, when she co-founded M2Malletier with fellow Colombian designer Melissa Losada. That brand, known for its sculptural bags with signature metal handlebars, was loved by celebrities. Over ten years, they built a successful business. But then the pandemic hit, life slowed down, both became mothers, and their priorities and inspirations started to change. The duo eventually closed the brand at the end of 2022, when Velez felt the market was “oversaturated” with trendy It-bags. “Melissa, my ex-business partner, and I just went in different directions—we both got married and had children,” says Velez. “I wanted to focus on my son and motherhood, and then I moved from Barcelona to Switzerland.” Now in Switzerland, Velez found inspiration for her next venture in an unexpected place: the home she bought from Demna, the creative director of Gucci.
“My creative life changed when I moved here,” Velez shares about the home she now lives in with her family, located in the remote, wooded outskirts of Zurich. The house was originally designed by Swiss contemporary artist Ugo Rondinone as a live-work space inspired by Japanese and European crafts. During his time there, Demna told Vogue he drew inspiration from the forest’s magical calm, and Velez has done the same. “The moment I moved here, my creativity was reborn. I discovered a new life in nature, surrounded by beautiful animals, insects, and flowers.” As a result, both the house and its surroundings led her to dive deep into sacred geometry, including natural numerical patterns like the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio. Plus, the nearby village of Würenlos is home to the Emma Kunz Museum, dedicated to the 19th-century Swiss geometric illustrator and healer. “There are no coincidences,” says Velez. And so, House Number .01’s first design, “The Spiral,” came to life.
Photo: House Number .01
The Spiral, a collapsible bucket bag, is the first of eight designs that will roll out over the coming months in cities around the world. (The brand’s first event kicks off in New York City at Casa Valle for a select group of industry insiders and VIPs.) Only 50 bags of each style will be available to order, making a total of 400 bags possible. “I didn’t want to launch them all at once because I think each piece deserves real attention,” says Velez. Every style is handcrafted in Italy and, like M2Malletier’s signature metal touch, features a metal spiral detail that can be customized in sterling silver or gold—with an option for pavé rare gems—paired with one of 18 available colors. For Velez, this unconventional project feels more like creating a commissioned sculpture than building another typical contemporary fashion brand—and she hopes they’ll be cherished as heirlooms too: “I really want customers who buy this to feel they’re purchasing art, to feel they’re going to buy this bag and display it in their home as if the bags are little sculptures.”es.â
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Marcela Velezs new bag line inspired by numerology and a Swiss forest
General Inspiration
Q Who is Marcela Velez
A She is a designer who has created a new line of bags The collection is inspired by the calm and structure of a Swiss forest combined with the ancient study of numbers
Q What is this new bag line all about
A Its a collection of luxury bags where each design is tied to a specific number The shape hardware and even the color choices are meant to reflect the energy and meaning of that number while the materials feel organic and forestinspired
Q Why a Swiss forest What does that have to do with bags
A The forest represents grounding quiet strength and natural order Velez uses textures and colors to bring that feeling of nature into the structured geometric world of numerology
Q I dont know anything about numerology Will I still like the bags
A Absolutely You can simply buy a bag because you love the shape or color The numerology is a hidden story behind the design not a requirement to enjoy it
The Numerology Design
Q How does numerology actually change the look of a bag
A For example a Number 1 bag might have sharp clean lines and a single bold clasp A Number 5 bag might have more straps pockets or a less rigid slouchier shape
Q Is there a specific bag I should buy based on my life path number
A Yes thats the idea You can calculate your life path number and then choose the bag that matches that energy If your number is 7 youd look for the bag designed for introspection and analysis
Q Are the bags numbered on the outside