LeatherGoods

The Classicist: Bespoke Leathergoods from Norton MacCullough & Locke

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Men's Style, The Classicist

Norton MacCullough & Locke, the new London firm committed to producing the finest custom-made trunks, jewelry boxes and homeware in the essence of 1920s bespoke British luxury which The Classicist first wrote about earlier this year, is introducing a new collection of custom-made small leathergoods. Founded by veterans of Hermès, Claridge's and Patek Philippe, Norton MacCullough & Locke creates only individual, hand-crafted pieces. NML's Head of Design Lester Ng and CFO David Manchee developed the collection to incorporate both function and practicality whilst retaining the Norton MacCullough & Locke aesthetic and principles. Ranging from iPhone and iPad cases to card holders, document wallets and passport covers, each piece in the new collection is hand-crafted in England by specialist leatherworking artisans, utilizing the finest materials and traditional techniques.

The firm offers a range of leathers, colors, finishes and personalization options to ensure that each bespoke piece is both unique and exclusive, giving the consummate bespoke experience. There's no need to travel to London to commission them however; the luxe accessories can be purchased by downloading the bespoke order form from the Norton MacCullough & Locke website. Following approval of a visual sample (and payment confirmation), the pieces will be created and delivered within 4-8 weeks. In addition to the styles, materials and personalization options offered via the site, Norton MacCullough & Locke will source specific leather types and colors for your piece upon request, specializing in exotics ranging from ostrich, crocodile and lizard skin.

Gallery: Norton MacCullough & Locke Bespoke Leathergoods

Tags: bespoke, crocodile, exotic leather, humidor, iPad, iPhone, leather, leathergoods, London, luggage, luxury travel, mens style, Norton MacCullough Locke, travel, trunks, UK

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The Classicist: Caracalla Bagaglio Commemorative Motorsport Collection

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Men's Style, The Classicist

Caracalla Bagaglio Commemorative Motorsport Collection

Simon Jordan takes his supercars seriously. He is the director of Cortese, an independent Ferrari and Maserati showroom located in Bath, UK on the Priston Mill Estate, where you can pick up an F430, Testarossa or GranSport as well as classic and racing models. It also houses his vast collection of Ferrari and Maserati memorabilia, including a library of books, pictures and models dating back to 1947. For Jordan, thoroughbred automobiles are a way of life. Hence he has also created Caracalla Bagaglio, a line of Italian leather goods designed to complement the world's greatest cars. The line takes its name from the Terme di Caracalla race circuit in Rome, where Ferrari won its first race in 1947, and its main range is the Commemorative Motorsport Collection featuring leather bags and holdalls dedicated to pivotal moments in racing history.

Skilled artisans hand make each bag in Tuscany from the finest leather in a process of craftsmanship passed down over generations. Each piece relates to the history of famous race car marques, drivers and racing numbers, and are endorsed by racing legends such as Sir Stirling Moss, Niki Lauda and Emerson Fittipaldi. Each piece closely matches the color (interior or exterior) and racing livery of the car it's designed to celebrate. The Moss No. 7 bag (priced at £295) for example, commemorates Sir Stirling Moss's victory at Goodwood in 1961 driving the legendary Ferrari 250 SWB bearing the number 7, Moss' favorite. Finished in dark blue leather to match the original paintwork it features Moss' official signature embossed into the white center panel, and Moss himself owns one of the bags.

Gallery: Caracalla Bagaglio Motorsport Collection

JPS Fittipaldi No. 6 (1972 'Type 72' Lotus F1)

Cortese 56 (1947-2007 Ferrari 60th Anniversary)

Tags: bags, Caracalla Bagaglio, Ferrari, Italy, Jaguar, Le Mans, leather, leather goods, leathergoods, Lotus, Maserati, motor racing, motorsports, Porsche, racecar, racing, Simon Jordan, Sir Stirling Moss, Stirling Moss, supercar, Tuscany, UK

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Parabellum Accessories, Made from Bison and Kevlar

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Men's Style

Proudly handcrafted in Los Angeles, and utilizing the most authentic and sophisticated materials available, Parabellum has just launched its inaugural line of belts and premium accessories for men. By combining military grade ceramics, free-range 15 year old American Bison, DuPont Kevlar and supple lambskin, Parabellum aims for "the perfect union between luxury and utilitarianism." Honoring classic American craftsmanship and style, the Parabellum line is also totally modern. After tanning, each bison hide is meticulously selected and hand-cut for each individual item. Just as no two hides are the same, no two Parabellum products are exactly alike. All leather is hand-skived, all corners are hand-turned, and each and every item is individually numbered for identification and authenticity.

Parabellum believes its Reservation Bison is the "richest, softest, most complicated and most beautiful" leather in the world. It is tanned in small batches, using old world techniques by true American artisans. Natural-tone, vegetable tanned lambskin linings are used to compliment the rugged beauty of the bison. All of their leather goods are also internally lined with Kevlar for strength and durability, and each and every Parabellum product includes laser-etched, military grade ceramic hardware for a level of true technological sophistication. Designs are military inspired as well. The full range of Parabellum belts, wallets and pouches will be initially available next month at Maxfield in Los Angeles. Key pieces include the Peace Maker belt, Instrument Case for PDAs and Comms Pouch cell phone case.

Gallery: Parabellum

Tags: belt, Bison, Kevlar, leather, leather goods, leathergoods, Los Angeles, Maxfield, military, Parabellum

What Hermès Plans for the Future

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Handbags

Hermès has been expanding steadily since it started back in 1837 as a saddle shop, today still offering long-lasting excellence in all things leather but also now large-scale items like helicopters and yachts. And it seems that growth will continue into the future, with Hermès' artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas looking to forge ahead into untapped territory, namely by expanding the innovative carbon fiber suitcase that was first introduced twenty years ago into a full line of luggage and by delving into "space and home" goods. As he said in an interview with the Wallstreet Journal "We have to reinvent ourselves. If we launch a perfume and it is like what we did in the '70s, what's the point? We are constantly reassessing who we are. Hermès is going to expand more on space and home. If you have a very large boat, what are you going to put inside?"

A beautiful Hermès leather chair and sofa, hopefully.

Hermès recently won the Luxist Awards Readers' Choice nod for Best Leathergoods Line. The company also opened its first men's store (shown above) on Madison Avenue in New York City last month.

Via JustLuxe

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Tags: hermes, leathergoods, luggage, luxury, luxury branding, pierre-alexis dumas

John Varvatos to New Launch Leather Goods Line

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

Stylish designer John Varvatos is launching a full collection of leather goods for his John Varvatos USA label's Fall / Winter 2010 season. Geared to a younger sensibility than his eponymous collection, USA espouses a preppy-meets-rocker style based on an "imperfectly perfect" appeal. The new collection includes belts, bags, small leather goods and accessories, all featuring meticulous attention to detail and highly innovative finishes. The bags are hand-stitched in Italian leather, with raw-cut edges and chunky hardware giving an edge to their refinement. Wallets are made from soft hides but clip onto tough biker chains. Zippers, studs and hanging medallions featuring the peace sign adorn the bracelets and belts, which are hand-stained with feathered edges. Our favorite are these handsome canvas and leather satchels; other bags feature skull, guitar and marijuana leaf motifs. Price points for the collection range from $65-$550, with bags starting at $150; small leather goods starting at $68; and belts starting at $65.

Tags: bags, belt, John Varvatos, JohnVarvatos, leather, leather goods, leathergoods

Queen of England's Luxe Stationer Smythson Sold for $29 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping

Back in March we broke the news that Smythson of Bond Street, suppliers of luxury stationery and leatherbound diaries to the Queen of England and other toffs, was being put up for sale. Now the famed firm has been has been sold for £18 million or about $29 million to Greenwill SA, the holding company for Tivoli Group, an Italian leather goods manufacturer. Smythson had insisted the sale was motivated not by financial hardship but rather the result of several parties having expressed interest in acquiring the business. However, the sale price is not much of a premium over the £16 million a consortium led by Goldman Sachs banker Mike Sherwood paid for the company in 2005. Founder Frank Smythson opened his first London shop in 1887 offering "First class stationery, leather goods and cabinet work." In addition to its UK shops Smythson now has stores on New York's 57th St. and Beverly Hills' famed Rodeo Drive. Smythson was granted a Royal Warrant to Her Majesty the Queen in 1964. Other warrants followed: HRH The Prince of Wales in 1980, HM The Queen Mother in 1987, and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 2002.

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Tags: Italy, leathergoods, London, Queen of England, QueenOfEngland, Royal Warrant, RoyalWarrant, Smythson, stationery, Tivoli Group, TivoliGroup, UK

Jimmy Choo: Elegant and Bold

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Handbags, Shoes

Jimmy Choo, a nominee for a Readers' Choice Award for Best Leathergoods, was launched in 1995 when Tamara Mellon, Accessories Editor at British Vogue, realized the potential demand for stylish but wearable shoes. Mellon approached Jimmy Choo, a couture shoe maker based in the East End of London who was recognized for his excellent craftsmanship. The pair formed a partnership to start a ready-to-wear shoe company and opened the first stand alone boutique on Montcomb Street. Sandra Choi, Choo's neice, was named the company's Creative Director with Mellon as its president. Joshua Schulman is the company's chief executive officer.

In 1998, the company opened its first boutique in New York, followed by Los Angeles in 1999. The company's name soon became synonymous with the "red carpet" shoe of choice. Choo's shoes were a favorite of the late Princess Diana, worn by Michelle Obama to the Inauguration Ceremony and have also been seen on such Oscar winners including Cate Blanchett, Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman and Hilary Swank, among others.

In 2001, Jimmy Choo expanded significantly and introduced a handbag collection. Today, Jimmy Choo encompasses a complete luxury lifestyle accessory brand with women's shoes, handbags, small leather goods, sunglasses and eyewear. Its products are now available in tknumber of Jimmy Choo freestanding stores as well as in prestigious department and specialty stores worldwide. The Jimmy Choo store network now encompasses more than 100 locations in 32 countries.

The brand received the 2009 "Designer Brand of the Year" award from the British Fashion Council, the 2008 ACE award for "Brand of the Year" from the Accessory Council and the 2008 "Brand of the year" from the 22nd Annual Footwear News Awards in New York.

Cast your vote for the Readers' Choice Awards at http://www.luxist.com/awards-vote/accessories-awards.

Gallery: More from Jimmy Choo

Tags: accessories award, AccessoriesAward, awards-main, handbags, jimmy choo, JimmyChoo, leathergoods, luxist awards, LuxistAwards, shoes

Hermes: Classic and Coveted

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Handbags, Shoes

A Readers' Choice nominee in the Best Leather Goods Category, Hermes has come a long way since its inception nearly two centuries ago. The company was founded by a Frenchman named Thierry Hermes in 1837 as a maker of harnesses and bridles. Since then, it has grown into one of the world's most sought-after luxury brands; customers have ranged from Humphrey Bogart to Paris Hilton.

Hermes is known for leather goods like the Kelly bag and Constance bag, favored by actress Grace Kelly and former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Like all Hermes products, these bags are made by hand without assembly lines; only one craftsman may work on a bag at a time.

The Birkin bag, which takes its name from actress Jane Birkin, is perhaps the most coveted of them all. Made from exotic animal skins and adorned with hardware hewn from precious metals, these bags boast waiting lists in excess of two years and price tags starting at $5000. A one-of-a-kind pink crocodile Birkin fetched $140,000 in 2007.

Hermes peddles its goods through boutiques sprinkled throughout posh U.S. enclaves like New York, East Hampton, Palm Beach and Beverly Hills. Based in Paris, the company continues to expand abroad into lucrative developing markets such as China. In a nod to its heritage, Hermes still offers equestrian paraphernalia.

Cast your vote for the Readers' Choice Awards at http://www.luxist.com/awards-vote/accessories-awards.

Gallery: More from Hermes

Tags: awards-main, birkin, birkin bag, BirkinBag, Grace Kelly, GraceKelly, Hermes, kelly bag, KellyBag, leather goods, LeatherGoods, luxist-awards

Dunhill Lets Cameras Roll In Their Workshop

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Men's Style

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.

Tags: documents, Double Document Case, DoubleDocumentCase, Dunhill, leather, leather goods maunfacturing, leathergoods, LeatherGoodsMaunfacturing, video

Birds of Sausalito Leather Goods

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

Our friends from Birds of Sausalito who recently helped us giveaway a pair of luxury pajamas also has a new line of leather goods. The company has co-branded with San Francisco's Mulholland Brothers,a company we've covered for their line of quality bags before. The new Birds of Sausalito line is done in a deep brown leather they call "stout" no doubt after the dark beer. The weekend bag shown here is known as the Shorthorn and is a classic overnight bag with a generous outside pocket, rolled leather handles and a detachable padded shoulder strap. When you unzip the top center zipper the bag's top stands up and open allowing for easy packing. The bag is nylon lined and inside there is mostly open space except for a single zippered envelope pocket. It's the sort of classic bag that never goes out of style and attains a certain well-worn gravitas as it ages. It sells for $795.

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Tags: birds of sausalito, BirdsOfSausalito, duffle, leather goods, LeatherGoods, mulholland brothers, MulhollandBrothers, overnight bag, OvernightBag

The Classicist: The Luxurious House of Longchamp

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Handbags, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist

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.

Gallery: Longchamp Luxury

Tags: ad campaigns, AdCampaigns, Elvis Presley, ElvisPresley, equestrian, French fashion, FrenchFashion, Jeremy Scott, JeremyScott, Kate Moss, KateMoss, leather, leathergoods, Longchamp, luggage, Paris, pipes, smoking, supermodels, Tracey Emin, TraceyEmin

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Dunhill for Bentley Luggage Collection

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Men's Style

London luxury goods maker Dunhill has teamed up with legendary auto marque Bentley on an exclusive new set of leather luggage for Bentley owners. Dunhill's craftsman designed the luxe pieces in collaboration with Bentley's Design & Styling team at the automaker's head office in Crewe, England. The set, made to fit the trunk of Bentley sedans, consists of five pieces: a large suitcase (above), small suitcase, briefcase, weekend bag, and wash bag.

Each is handcrafted in brown natural grain leather with matching interior trim, in a fluted design similar to that found on the leather seats of the $250,000 Bentley Arnage. The custom-designed hardware features a unique lock mechanism with a knurled edge and an inset Bentley "B". The entire set will run you about $9,000 and is now available to order from your friendly neighborhood Bentley dealer with a 2-4 week delivery time.

Gallery: Dunhill for Bentley

Tags: Bentley, Bentley Arnage, BentleyArnage, Dunhill, England, Leathergoods, Luggage

Hermes to Open First Ever Men's-Only Store in NYC

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Men's Style

French luxury powerhouse Hermes will open a men's-only store, the first of its kind in the world, across from its Madison Avenue flagship in NYC this fall. The 6,000-sq.-ft. space, designed by Rena Dumas of the architectural firm RDAI in Paris, will carry the brand's entire range of men's leather goods, watches, clothing, sportswear and accessories, and will have a full floor devoted to custom and made-to-measure merchandise, DNR reports. As my colleague Deidre Woollard related earlier this month, Hermes recently announced that first-quarter sales increased 13.4 percent to 415.1 million euros, or approx. $621.7 million. Sales in the Americas were up 23 percent. Men's merchandise accounts for 45 percent of the luxury brand's total sales, DNR notes. Last June, the company opened a 5,000-square-foot shop in New York's financial district with an emphasis on menswear, catering to the Wall St. crowd.

Gallery: The World of Hermes

Tags: Hermes, Leather goods, LeatherGoods, Madison Avenue, MadisonAvenue, Menswear, New York City, NewYorkCity, RDAI, Rena Dumas, RenaDumas

Will the Real Asprey Please Stand Up?

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Jewelry, Sports, Men's Style

It's one of the economic vagaries of the business that storied British luxury goods firm Asprey of London no longer has any connection (save an historical one) with the actual Asprey family. After the 200-year-old company was sold to Prince Jeffri of Brunei in the '90s, family scion William Asprey decided to start his own firm catering to the aristocratic trade (Asprey had long held royal warrants). However, he discovered to his dismay that he was no longer entitled to the use of his own last name; while Prince Jefri subsequently unloaded Asprey to a hedge fund, William opened a beautiful shop in London's Mayfair under the name William & Son.

Under its new owners Asprey has gone in an increasingly fashionable direction, and while producing some beautiful things it has suffered financial setbacks from over-enthusiastic expansion. William & Son by contrast hearkens back to Asprey's traditional roots, and still maintains an air of clubby exclusivity in its Mayfair premises (pictured above), which stocks high-end jewelry, silver, watches, leathergoods, china and crystal. A key facet of the business is its bespoke service, which will basically fashion anything you like in whatever precious material strikes your fancy as long as you can afford it. More recently William added an adjacent gun room, where beautiful silver-inlaid shotguns can now be had for $100,000 and up. He is certainly following through on his promise to "maintain his family's reputation in the historic splendour of No. 10 Mount Street." And what's in a name, after all?

Gallery: William & Son, London

20 bore William & Son Sidelock Ejector shotgun.

A selection of sporting attire and accessories.

Tags: Asprey, Brunei, Leathergoods, London, Luxury goods, LuxuryGoods, Royal Warrant, RoyalWarrant, Sporting guns, SportingGuns, Wiliiam Asprey, WiliiamAsprey, William Son, WilliamSon

King Ranch Turquoise Concho Tote, Handbag of the Day

by Sandy Maple (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

Let's head southwest, shall we? King Ranch, located in my home state of Texas, is the largest ranch in the United States, covering 825,000 acres. In addition to ranching and farming, the modern-day King Ranch is also home to the King Ranch Saddle Shop, offering a collection of high quality leather goods, including luggage, clothing, saddles and, of course, bags. This sturdy tote is made from durable leather accented with a natural turquoise set in a silver concho. Inside, the bag is lined in cotton canvas and has a full size pocket. With just a touch of fringe and braided leather straps, this bag epitomizes modern Western style. $315.

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Tags: concho, king ranch, KingRanch, leather fringe, leather goods, leather handbag, LeatherFringe, LeatherGoods, LeatherHandbag, luxe handbag, luxe leather, LuxeHandbag, LuxeLeather, luxury handbag, luxury leather, LuxuryHandbag, LuxuryLeather, purse, ranch, saddle sho, SaddleSho, shoulder bag, ShoulderBag, texas, turquoise, western handbag, western style, WesternHandbag, WesternStyle

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