Leather

The carbon fiber components found on the world's most exclusive supercars get translated into a collection of stylish leather bags for London luxury goods firm Dunhill's new Spring / Summer 2010 offerings. The Chassis Leather collection is comprised of six elegant pieces gentleman's luggage, characterized by a unique graphic carbon fiber print applied to black matte leather, rendering each piece fully scratch proof and extremely durable. The six pieces in the collection feature gunmetal hardware and include a Holdall, 24 Hours Bag, Single Zip Briefcase, Messenger Bag, North South Bag, and Suit Carrier. Just the thing to toss in the back of your Bentley GT Speed.

[via JustLuxe]

For the first time in over a hundred years, we get an inside view of how Dunhill manufactures its beautiful leather goods. Never before has Dunhill shown the outside world how the world class craftsman create their products. In this clip we get to see a portion of the film demonstrating the making of Dunhill's Double Document Case.

While we have always admired the finished product, watching the craftsmen at work makes it all that more interesting. It happens in the Walthamstow workshop and all by hand. Each leather artisan is responsible for the construction of a piece from start to finish and includes a stamped card with their name on it inside the finished product. The sense of personal pride taken by the master craftsmen translates into the highest quality and standard of work for Dunhill.

From the consumer's perspective, watching the skills and techniques involved helps one understand the price tag of over 1,800 British Pounds Sterling for this special bag. The company has a hundred and sixteen years of experience and the same processes that were used in the beginning are still being employed in the crafting of their leather goods today. Anyone who has an interest in fine products should find this glimpse, albeit orchestrated for film, into the manufacturing process at Dunhill fascinating.

The "Heloise" underwire halter neck corset is part of Agent Provocateur's kinky new lingerie collection, Soirée. It's made of black ribbed duchess satin and lined in soft black leather, with a deep plunge neckline and hand-embellished biker studs. À la Scarlett O'Hara, this corset really will pull in the waist. The hips are "emphasized" (I'll say) with 2-inch metal spikes -- back view below. Not for the fainthearted or shy, or one who wishes to snuggle. $4,900

Last month we wrote about the Russian-made $1.5 million Monaco Red Diamond Edition luxury armored SUV, featuring gold and diamond accents and an interior upholstered in whale penis leather. The unnerving upholstery is apparently in tribute to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who had whale penis leather aboard his yacht the Christina. Now pneumatic actress and animal rights activist Pamela Anderson, Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Federation have complained to Dartz, the company responsible, causing them to ditch plans for any whale genitalia to be used in making the insane vehicle. We can't imagine anyone but the Prince of Brothels would ever buy one anyway. Dartz's Leonard F. Yankelovich has now issued an unintentionally hilarious apology of sorts, in Russian-inflected English:

"We have no ideas to kill the whale or something like that," he insists. "All we want - to make just luxury car. Real luxury car which will be world number one car. We just looking for most expensive products for this car - and that's why we choosed whale penis leather when we checked it is most of most. After wave of protest we realised our mistake and make a decision not to use natural leather at all. We will focus on world most advanced nanotechnologies to achieve interior highest quality using artificial materials which also was never used for cars. We want to tell our hello to all whales: 'Our Sea Brothers! We all know that earth are stand on three whales - we will keep You live! We don't want Earth fall down to Ocean!'"

Master leather craftsmen in Argentina can satisfy your cravings for fashion, quality, comfort and originality with custom boots. Clients can choose the style and leather to suit their taste and custom measurements ensure a beautiful fit and happy feet. There is also a truly bespoke option where one can design their own boot to exact specifications, including special details such as buttons made of precious metals. The end result being a one-of-a kind haute couture pair. If you can dream it, they can make it.

Anna Lunna offers women the opportunity to enjoy boots that truly reflect her personal sense of style. The company offers clients their choice of 16 styles, 5 different heel heights, 10 different heel styles and 17 leather colors from which to create the perfect boot for day or night, ranging from a casual day look to a dressier evening look. Once you order your boots the company will rush you an Anna Lunna 8 Point Fit Measurement Kit so that the boots will fit your feet to perfection. The finishing touch is your boots will arrive in about 6 weeks with your name personally engraved inside.

All this individuality comes at a cost with ankle boots retailing at $4,500 and knee high boots retailing at $5,000. While you are spoiling your feet in customized luxury you can take comfort in the fact that the brand is committed to giving back to the community. They claim to do this not only by employing third generation bootsmiths, thereby keeping their craft alive, but by contributing 10% of the proceeds of every boot sold to WORTH, a program that empowers impoverished women around the world.

Victorinox Swiss Army is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a slew of new products and even a North American road tour. Among the nicest items being offered as part of the anniversary collection is a limited-edition Leather Travel Bag. Crafted of the finest full-grain, Italian Belting leather and European materials the bag "reflect[s] the old-world luxury and dedicated workmanship from which our brand was born," the company says. Snap gussets allow the bag to open flat. Other features are a front garment storage area with compression straps and a rear compartment with a removable suiter featuring a full-size hanger and foam bolsters to keep clothes wrinkle-free. Individually polished Riri zippers are made of precious metal alloys, and storage case is provided to keep the bag clean. Each bag is individually numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity. $4,000

Swaine Adeney Brigg, the 250-year-old London luxury goods maker that holds a Royal Warrant from the Queen of England and the Prince of Wales, has come out with a stunning new leather luggage collection. Paying homage to the Grand Tours of yesteryear, the firm's design director Dominc Laurelli, brought in to freshen up the brand last year, drew inspiration from the coloured stripes, be they regimental, heraldic or racing, once painted on the luggage of soldiers, aristocrats and explorers for easy identification. Made from the finest leather, the stripes lend the pieces a jaunty, sporting air. There are several different styles of holdall as well as a hatbox.

The Leather X Porteur bicycle covered in saddle leather is a one-off project from French designer Nicolas Yvars that's handmade using vintage parts. Yvars tells BikeRadar.com the beautiful bespoke conveyance combines his three passions – "leathercraft, street fashion and luxury" – and is modeled on a type of bicycle once used by newspaper sellers in Paris. It took him more than a year to track down the parts which he assembled himself, outsourcing only the frame painting and wheelbuilding. Bespoke touches include a hip flask attachment under the saddle and hand-stitched detailing on the leatherwork. Yvars says he has no plans to produce the bike, which combines great looks with agility and comfort, but is using it to promote his marketing company, Ateliers d'Embellie. However with think that demand for the Leather X Porteur might turn out to be so great he'll consent to assemble others for the right price.

Any conservative people at Bell & Ross corporate needed to simply suck this one up. World famous architect and interior designer Peter Marino recently visited Bell & Ross headquarters to check out their latest watch collection and was apparently quite impressed with the Bell & Ross BR01 Airbone - a controversially styled watch meant to honor American airborne paratroopers.

In some marketing images for Bell & Ross, the oft leather-clad Marino was photographed wearing the square-shaped, skull-faced watch in what will surely be a message to fans of his work, and fans of his wardrobe. At least here in San Francisco I can say that leather-clad gentlemen all around will likely perceive this image to mean that Bell & Ross should be the official timepiece of the leather daddy lifestyle, the black leather lifestyle and look that can't be mistaken for just a biker who has taken the look a bit further. I think of it as the bondage outfit look turned metropolitan.

New York based Peter Marino's designs and work are nothing like how he dresses actually, and typically represent quite comfortable and inviting spaces. His work is actually very good and impressively dynamic. His large portfolio of work includes retail shops, hotels, private residences, and much more. He is one of the most well-rounded architects that I know of today. Select famous clientele include Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Andy Warhol, Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, and many more.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Yes, now even your injuries can be a chance to make a style statement. I'm not sure if these are sleazy or cool, but either way they are what they are: black leather band-aids. Made of pressed leather and said to "breathe better" than regular band-aids, they come in packs of three for $15.

Right now it appears there's only the one option of black, but if you give them your email they'll keep in touch with you on the availability of a Louis Vuitton pattern version.

High-end Italian racing accessories company OMP Racing has introduced an amazing new collection of vintage-inspired gear that expresses the essence of classic motorsports and Steve McQueen style. Every product sold by the Genova-based company founded in 1973 is produced in Italy at the company's advanced 80,000 sq. ft. factory with a private racetrack, where every item is tested for quality, durability and safety. The Vintage collection (above), which includes a thermoplastic helmet with dark brown leather piping, fire-resistant cream stretch gloves with suede palms and inserts, and Carrera racing boots in ultra-soft leather with high sensitivity hydrocarbon-resistant soles, pays homage to some of the very first products OMP ever produced.

Schedoni. To most people, the name doesn't carry any meaning. But to those in the know, it's the marque of the finest craftsmanship. The century-old Italian leather-crafters make all the fitted luggage for Ferrari road cars, and even fabricate that little pad at the back of a Scuderia Ferrari F1 car to keep Kimi and Felipe's helmets from knocking against the carbon fiber bodywork. But when the atelier isn't too busy stitching together those tiny little cases for Maranello, or making a special line of driving shoes together with Puma, they make some of their own products, too, and this is one of our favorites: an exquisitely-crafted carbon fiber briefcase.

Made from the same materials used on the most exotic of sports and racing cars, the carbon fiber shell is painstakingly woven and baked in a kiln. It's such an intricate process that half the ones they try to make have to be scrapped. Inside, Schedoni lines the lightweight case with beautifully tanned suede for that look and feel which only Ferrari's own bag-makers could manage. Of course that kind of excellence comes at a price: $4,400 in this case. At least this way your wallet will be lighter, too.

These days the celebrated French leathergoods company Longchamp is best known for its super-stylish handbags as seen in ad campaigns starring Kate Moss (above). Most people are unaware however that the company, which dates back to 1948, started off selling luxurious leather-covered pipes to Paris' bon ton. The rich heritage of the firm is celebrated in Longchamp, a gorgeous new illustrated history from Abrams by Marie-Claire Aucouturier with photographs by Philippe Carcia, published in celebration of the company's 60th anniversary.

Beginning with the deluxe pipes, which became a favorite of Elvis Presley (pictured smoking one in the book), the company built a brand as a bridge between the very social equestrian world and the world of luxury travel. Named after Paris' famed Longchamp racecourse where Napoleon III presided over the Royal Enclosure, the company adopted a horse and rider as its logo. The pipes were soon followed by cigarette cases and other leather accessories for smokers, then expansion into small leather goods in the 1950s, followed by the opening of the first Longchamp boutiques in the 1970s and '80s.

The first in a line of luxurious luggage soon followed. Longchamp thrived where many firms failed by catching on early to the importance of the Asian market. In the early 1970s, Philippe Cassegrain, Longchamp's founder, designed a line of bags called "LM," destined for the Japanese market, recently re-released for the anniversary. Its success gave Longchamp a solid reputation as a creator of women's handbags and enabled the company to expand further. In 1993 Cassegrain introduced the Le Pliage collection of foldable travel bags made of colorful vinyl with luxurious leather trim, an instant smash; two billion of them have been sold since.

Here's a sharp-looking suitcase that will stand out on the baggage return belt: the Penelope Op Art Suitcase, by Coach. Made of Op art coated canvas fabric with leather trim, the suitcase features two inside pockets on the interior back cover, two inside pockets on each interior side wall, three inside pockets on the interior front wall, a lock closure, and brass feet to protect scuffing. Measurements for medium: 27 1/4" L x 18" H x 8 1/2" W, $1,500. Also available: small, with all the same features, measuring 22 3/4" L x 15 1/4" H x 7" W, $1,200.