While working on a business development project for our Swiss Watch Boutique I was very keen on looking for quality leather straps, for our Swiss Watches. And I just didn’t want any leather strap, I wanted something authentic and of the finest quality. After all, these leather straps had to compliment our Swiss Made Watches. Since the fact, that I travel a lot with my works, and often during evenings I am at some pub grabbing a drink, I felt a desire to have a leather strap which blends together with my smart-phone case. After all, most of us, wear a watch and carry a smart-phone, so the idea of both the leather strap for the watch and the smart-phone case, designed from the same leather and style became my passion.
I looked around for several options, but, none I came across were offering this match. The more I researched, the more passionate I became to feed my new fashion style. With time, I though most of us also carry a wallet, and a bag, so why not blend all these essentials together, and craft to design a new fashion style.
By now, my search had taken on a new meaning. I could not find any brand or company who was making such an offer, so I started to study on this and came up with handmade leather watch straps. Most of the artists who were making these watch straps were focused totally on making watch straps, and ignored my vision of creating most or all of our essentials out of the same design and leather. While talking to an artist, about my vision to create leather essentials, I was told ‘its not possible’ and that really pushed me to thinking there must be a way.
I started to study about handmade leather crafts and came across the beautiful artistic heritage of Italian tradition with quality leather crafts and design. I further started to study more and even seeking for schools but to my luck, there were either those long term study course or, short term workshops but with machines. And that wasn’t what I was looking for, yea! So I continued searching for my options. I wanted to work with an artist, who could understand my vision and learn the skills to craft my passion and just as I was passionately looking to learn, Our Universe blessed me with a meeting with an artist from Florence, in Italy, who not only understood my passion but also, became my Mentor, my Master Dimitri.
The next challenge was to schedule the time to learn the art in between our works. Neither he could schedule for longer days, nor could I. So we both agreed on something which we both felt easy with. But, I could see that my Master was concerned wether I will be able to learn all of the craft-works in that squeezed time! Because according to him, his students would take at least a span of 1 month to be able to craft their creations for sale and here I was in a sort of a squeezed schedule, but with a lot of passion for my works. All in all, we started up and at the end of the very first day, I surprised my master, with my first creation, neatly done, and with all my love and care. I had tears in my eyes when my mentor said ‘You have lots of creativity within you, let it flow in your creations’ and thats what I am doing today.
I feel blessed having learnt the art of Italian handcrafting leather, hence, I’ve always kept my quality standards as per Italian trends.
For e.g. I buy my leather from tanneries who are registered members with the Italian Leather Consortium. I use only Italian made cotton waxed thread and all my buckles and such accessories are handcrafted by an Italian artist, Paolo Lapini, based in Florence. Thus, keeping these quality standards clear, got me an opportunity to register my brand with the Italian Leather Consortium and thanks to the Consortium, starting Spring 2017, all my crafts now carry a special label, which is numbered by the Consortium registration. This label and the Consortium logo on all my crafts, ensures that the leather is of the finest quality standards and stands with a cause for a clean environment. This is one of my finest achievements, to ensure my brand loyal clients that they are investing on one of the finest materials, and with a brand, who cares to craft some fine arts.
“I create my crafts with all my love and care and passion, and with each creation, I feel bliss and joy and in harmony with Our Universe”