Edelman Leather Auctions Hand-Painted Bags for FIT Benefit

“The first piece of furniture I ever painted was our couch,” reflects Italian artist and designer

Selvaggia Armani

. “When my husband left, I took a paintbrush to it. Luckily he liked it; otherwise, I might’ve flown from the window!”

When Armani connected with

Edelman Leather

’s Echo Mackenzie two years ago during Milan’s

Salone Internazionale del Mobile

, the attraction was immediate.

At HD Expo, she painted an Eames sofa for the company

. Today, her hand-painted handbags, portfolio clutches, and cuffs are on sale at a pop-up store inside the manufacturer’s showroom at New York’s

Decoration & Design Building

. Three totes are also being auctioned off to benefit the

Fashion Institute of Technology’s Interior Design program

.

The auction closes today, October 2, at 7pm. Bid online at

Gavel & Grand

.