Q&A With James Hattem of Bugatti Group

I had the opportunity to do a Q&A with James Hattem of Bugatti Group and get his take on where Bugatti is and where they are going. I’ll share his answers to some questions, hint at some new things coming soon and give a background on Bugatti and Stiles Supply Co. for those who may not be as familiar with us. Below you can find our conversation with James followed by some history and our look to the future.

Steve: Hi James, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to spend some time with us. Before we jump in, tell me a little bit about yourself. Who are you and what do you do for Bugatti?

James: Hi Steve, thanks for setting this up. I'm James, I take part in business development at Bugatti Group. 

Steve: Of course, thank you for taking the time out of your day to speak with me. I know you’ve spent a lot of time overseeing Bugatti’s web3 presence and the desire to merge web2 e-commerce as we know it with new tech. What is the goal of this project?

James: The goal is built from the fact that web3 needs to grow in the web2 space and gain a wider crowd. So our goal is to help grow the web 3 space in the web2 world by having custom branded luggages.

Steve: Awesome. I don’t think there is a lot of understanding of what web3 is by most out there. It is certainly a new space for everything from music, art and of course business. Anybody following along with us has gotten a peek at these custom branded bags. I have to ask, what’s your favorite piece of custom baggage you’ve seen come out so far?

James: Ha. That's a tough one, there’s too many. So many consumers have created beautiful pieces thus far.

Steven: You’re not wrong! I’ve seen quite a few, my own included, and thought they’re almost too good to be real. They’re really incredible. Now, Bugatti has been working on a new Canadian factory to produce custom luggage. I know we’re excited about this. What can you tell us about the new machinery and what it means for Bugatti to be producing these items and doing it in Canada?

James: It's amazing to be bringing manufacturing back to Canada. It’s something that we hold important to be able to produce directly here on our land. We control the quality and it’s simply an amazing point in history to be able to now produce custom one of one luggages at home.

Steve: I have to say, I love being able to see this all come together and see production go to Canada for this. Having had the chance to be part of this growth in the way I have has been very exciting.

Steve: We know about the custom crossbody bags, I’ve reviewed them here and posted photos of my own. We know there are custom carry-on suitcases available. I say that, but not everybody may have seen those yet. If you haven’t, follow James (@jrmnfts) and Bugatti (@bugattigrp) on X (Twitter) and find some of the posts. Are there plans to expand the custom line to include more bag options?

James: Of course, we plan on expanding to back packs, messenger bags that hold your laptops. More to come.

Steve: That’s really exciting news. I can’t wait to see these pieces. You might have to invite me up to Canada to check them out! The question I have to ask now is can we expect to see some Stiles Supply Co. and Bugatti bags? I’m asking this but I already know the answer!

James: Of course! With your utilities through holding the Bugatti Group nfts you have exclusive access to build your products!

Steve: Love it! I knew the answer, but it’s always fun to hear that again. You read that right, everyone, there will be SSCo. X Bugatti collaboration coming. Current designs and some new artwork will make their way to these pieces. You won’t want to miss this!

Steve: Can you give some insight on Edition22 and Etienne for those who may not know him and his company?

James: Etienne is an ex football player in the Canadien scene, he played a few games in the NFL as well. He is a great founder and entrepreneur and we partnered with him in 2019 to build the EDITION22 brand which has been a success. Now we’re expanding in the clothing field with E22 and we’re excited to promote exclusive high end utilities through the nft collection. If you want to learn more, visit the website. EDITION22 (edition22nft.com)

Steve: I’ve seen these items and they look great. Really excited to get my hands on some of them. Etienne has definitely created a great line. Simple and tasteful, really. And for anybody in the web3 space, if you haven't seen the 3D artwork for their collection, it is REALLY cool. Not to mention the value that comes with having your hands on one of these.

Steve:Bugatti has been doing a lot to go green recently. Tell me some more about that. What are you doing now and what are the future plans for that? 

James: As we all know, we need as an entire community to work towards a GREENER world, we’re dedicated as a company to take the necessary steps over the years to come to become 50% green. This involves a lot of work and investments in order to be able to get there and we are dedicated towards that. 

Steve: I can’t imagine what it takes to go green on the scale that Bugatti is, but it's truly admirable. So many of your products are already made using recycled materials. I have showcased those in their own “eco-friendly” category on our site. I also noted in my review of the custom crossbody that those custom pieces are formed from recycled water bottles. So, if you’re looking to travel a little greener Bugatti and Stiles Supply Co are in your corner.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the Canadian luggage manufacturer, Bugatti is a brand with a legacy of quality and craftsmanship dating back to 1940. As a brand they are committed to bringing high quality materials and luxury products to their customers at an affordable price. Including everything from backpacks and daily-use crossbody bags to complete luggage sets and duffle bags Bugatti has a product to fit any need whether it is a trip down the street or across the globe. At Stiles Supply Company we believe in that same mission and strive to offer our customers this same level of excellence in everything we do. 

As for Stiles Supply Company we are fast approaching our first year in business and we are extremely grateful for everybody who has included us in their travels to this point and beyond. I, Steven Stiles, am the founder of this small family business and am looking forward to being a part of your journey. With us you can expect a level of personal service that you won’t find from other online retailers and big box stores. I have worked in retail and various customer service positions, I have traveled with inferior luggage and I want to spin both of those experiences into something to make your travels the best they can be. Luggage woes should not be part of your itinerary! My goal is to offer value that stretches beyond what our physical products can offer. Be it helpful tips, luggage reviews, or even if you’re just curious where the SSCo. family likes to vacation, I am happy to assist however possible.

I hope you enjoyed our Q&A with James Hattem of Bugatti Group and you learned a little about both companies. You can expect plenty more this year as we look to reach new heights in 2024, including some exclusive Stiles Supply Co. and Bugatti collaborations. Thank you as always for choosing Stiles Supply Company, we look forward to traveling with you!

Steven Stiles

Owner

Stiles Supply Co.