Craft :
A one-man label
I’m a designer and a leatherworker. I specialise in a traditional mode of leather-craft which centres around the ‘saddle-stitch’, a form of hand-stitching considered the most refined of construction methods; It is found in the related crafts of shoe-making and saddlery but is largely lost to the world of handbags.
Put simply, this tradition relies entirely upon the use of hand-tools and is heavily dependent on the touch of the craftsperson. It is hugely labor-intensive and incredibly slow. In a good year I can complete a dozen handbags.
Sourcing
The materials that find their way into my work are small in number - leather, linen, brass, gold.
- The leathers used are naturally tanned Italian cow-hides, sourced from a small producer in Tuscany.
- The linen thread used is the finest available. Lin Câblé 'Au Chinois' has been spun in France since 1847.
- All hardware is of solid-brass. Some of the fittings are cast in Northern England, some forged in Kent and some machined just outside of Paris.
- Each of the fittings, from the studs to the feet, are plated in 24 carat, 99.9% pure gold.
Stitched by hand
Every single stitch-hole must be cut by hand before the work of saddle-stitching can begin. There are 738 of these stitch-points in the smallest of the Core Collection designs with many thousands on the larger models; If a single hole is cut out-of-line this component must be put aside and work begun on it once again.
It can take many days to carefully 'close' a bag, sometimes over a week for the larger models. No sewing machines are used. Each stitch is formed by hand using a single cord of beeswaxed linen with a saddler's needle attached at each end. These two needles pass in opposite directions through the same hole, creating a pair of stitch lines which run back and forth, firmly bound together in a double helix. This means that the finished bags can be repaired and restored in the years to come.
Connect
To maintain the concentration needed for my work I tend to keep the studio private. I welcome conversations with those considering placing on order and make myself available by email or phone.
A sure way to meet in person and to view the work in person is to join us as an event, in Paris or elsewhere. To keep appraised of upcoming events consider subscribing to the Newsletter, check the Instagram account or reach out directly.
Please feel free to be in touch.