This is the story of Barry Knight one of the few remaining tanners in the UK. Situated in the centre of Bristol, within the seemingly untouched grounds, lies an old Tannery. Thomas Ware & Sons dates back to the 1840’s, the beginning of the Victorian era, yet their technique and craftsmanship remains unchanged. This short […]
Video: A Day in the Life of a Shoemaker
Today’s post is a video from the workshop of John Lobb, a heritage, bespoke, leather shoe-making company from London that has been serving clients such as the the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales since the mid-19th century. What really strikes me about this quiet, intimate look at their family-run business is how […]
Videos: Combining Innovation with Functional Aesthetics
Today’s post is a collection of three videos. The first and third videos show two different approaches to leather tooling and demonstrate how much space there is for creative freedom in customizing the final design. The first video, from Geye Leather Studio, takes a youthful and colorful approach to leather carving, with the third video, […]
Leather Armor Fun
Even though I mostly make designer leather goods, I’m secretly a geek at heart. I recently came across a beautiful example of detailed leather armor made by the folks at Savagepunk Studio. What I love about this is the attention to detail and how the theme is pulled through the construction of the piece. It […]
The Life and Work of a Master Bush Craftsman
Today’s post is a story of a master bush craftsman, Doug Kite, who recently celebrated his 92nd birthday by donating the best of his life’s leatherwork to the Museum of Victoria collections. Although humble and modest in nature, Doug’s leather plaiting and braiding work is sought out by admirers and collectors around the world. His […]
A Post-Script From Duke And Sons
A few weeks ago we did a post that included a video on Jan Den Hartogh, owner of the Dutch leather goods company Duke and Sons. Jan reached out to us after we posted his video and I asked him ‘how did you make the switch to doing leatherworking full time?’ He was kind enough […]
Videos: Following Your Leatherworking Passion
Today’s post is a collection of two videos. The first is an inspirational video from Jan den Hartogh of Duke & Sons Leather. Jan used to spend all day sitting behind a computer and started to feel like something important was missing from his life. As a result, he decided to take up leatherworking and […]
The Work of Jack Holland
This week we bring to you the work of Jack Holland, a master craftsman who has been working with leather for nearly 70 years. Jack spends a long time, up to four weeks on each of creations using only hand-tools. The quality and uniqueness of his work has captured the attention of an impressive range […]
CR Fashionbook- Anatomy Of A Bag: Balenciaga
I found a hidden gem while browsing CR Fashionbook: a tear down of a Balenciaga bag. Enjoy!
Videos: Leather Goods Makers Old and New
Today’s post is a collection of four videos. The first two are from established leather goods companies. I love the words of wisdom that these guys reveal about the craft and business. The second two are from younger companies with equally younger founders. There are some equally valuable insights covered here but from a very […]