PERSONALIZE

All leather goods are unique due to the nature of vegetable tanned leather – it retains markings and scars from the raw hide, and matures in direct reflection of its owners’ use – but there are other options for making your item(s) more personal.

CUSTOM INITIALS

Antique letterpress lead metal type used to imprint custom character combinations into the leather. Have your initials imprinted on your bag. All bags are numbered and dated on the interior eyeglass pocket once finished.

COMBINATION OF 1 TO 3 CHARACTERS
CHARACTERS ARE 0.625” HIGH

*Please specify choices for initials and face at checkout.

 “LIVING ARTIFACTS”

Two key creative values : ① Making objects that you will never want to replace or part with, because they become one with your persona and your story, they contribute to revealing who you are. ② Using natural materials that age, to produce goods that don’t deteriorate, but rather evolve, mature, and get better with use – goods that develop character over time – all in the respect of simple and traditional techniques.

VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER

Vegetable tanned leather is an incredibly strong and sustainable material that tells age just like fine whiskey does. Because it is free of chemicals, it is a live material – proper care and regular use allows the leather fibers to soften, open up and absorb oils, making the leather stronger and more durable. All hides are unique and have tonal variations, small markings, scratches and scars, which are all natural features voluntarily left apparent on the bags and other leather goods – these are considered a celebration of the raw material. All bags are made the same way but no two are identical due to the nature of the material – yours is just yours, it will age in direct reflection of your story – making it even more unique.

COLOR AND TONE

Natural leather is a live material. Due to the natural tannins used in the preparation process of the hides, regular use and exposure to sunlight will make the leather darken in colour and deepen in tone, developing a rich patina that can’t be replicated – simply put, your bag is continuously getting a slow and steady tan. This natural ageing process gradually enhances the personality of your bag and shouldn’t be avoided.

It is important to note that the bag your receive will not be the exact same colour as the one shown in the shop. All leather hides have tonal variations and start out very pale, a rosy-nude colour. Natural bags are usually oiled once or twice before they’re sold – this means the colour will already have been broken-in – with regular use and time, it will evolve and darken naturally.

EXPERIMENT

If you want to speed up the ageing process, applying a layer of olive oil using a lint-free cloth or sponge will begin to darken the leather. *Please note that the leather will start absorbing the oil very quickly and appear patchy – it will basically look like you’ve ruined the bag – don’t panic and keep going. Make sure to apply the oil evenly and let it sit in the sun for a couple of hours – the leather will absorb the oil, darken and even out.

The results of this experiment will vary depending on how the sun hits where you are located. For example, if used at the beach for a few days, the bag will darken much quicker than if it’s used in the city, receiving indirect sunlight. The images below show what totes look like at different stages.

HARDWARE

All bags, belts, objects and other accessories are paired with the same types of hardware, antiqued solid brass, unfinished solid brass, and untreated copper saddlery rivets. The antiqued finish on the solid brass hardware used for bags prevents it from oxidizing over time. Belts are paired with unfinished solid brass buckles, these will age over time and develop a patina, simultaneously with the leather.

CARE

Part of the brands’ philosophy is to celebrate the beauty of natural imperfections found in raw materials, therefore, caring for your goods is rather simple : just let them live and watch them age.

SILVER & BRASS

In line with the brands’ philosophy, sterling silver and solid brass are live materials that will evolve with use. Both materials will react to air, humidity and the skins’ natural oils in similar ways, developing a patina over time. Oxidation is a natural reaction, that will (with time) darken the metals and make their finish more matte. Sterling silver has a tendency to oxidize quicker when it is not being used, whereas solid brass ages as it is exposed to the natural elements. *Please note that brass jewelry can react to your skins’ natural oils when worn in hot weather, making it oxidize quicker than normal.

To make your pieces shiny again (silver or brass), wipe them with a simple jewelry polishing cloth, it does the trick very well – Cape Cod Polishing Cloths is a great option and easily found online.

LEATHER

It is important to treat and nourrish the leather for it to age nicely. You should treat your bag and other leather goods every 4 to 6 months with a leather cream or balm that is made of natural ingredients. A great option is Skidmore’s Leather Cream, a 100% natural cream made of natural oils and beeswax – it nourishes, cleans, makes the leather waterproof and generally healthier. Using a lint-free cloth, apply the cream evenly and wipe off any excess. *Note that treating the leather will darken it a little – after the cream is absorbed, the leather tones will even out.

The nude colour totes are left completely untreated, which means the leather can react to water and retain spots. For the first month of use, avoid exposing your bag to rain – with time, the leather fibers become more flexible and less likely to retain water spots. However, this is the beauty of natural leather, it ages in reflection of what it experiences. If you are not using your bag for a prolonged period of time, it is best to store it in the supplied cotton dust bag.