CHOOSING YOUR ONE-OF-ONE LEATHER PIECE
While some naturally catch your eye right away, others reveal their character more quietly through details that photographs or product descriptions simply can't show.
This guide shares some of those details to help each piece speak to you through the intentions and decisions behind its creation.
The details and design decisions behind each piece are shared on its respective product page.
Threads & Stitching Styles
Thread color, thickness, type, number of colors, and stitching style—all are chosen deliberately to support the vision behind each piece.
Sometimes thread colors contrast with the leather. Other times, they blend into it.
On certain pieces, the thread colors are chosen with the patina the leather will develop in mind.
The number of thread colors used on each piece ranges from a single color to as many as eight.
More thread colors do not necessarily make a piece better. Likewise, the most suitable stitching style depends on the individual piece.
The type of thread is chosen according to what is prioritized most—whether that's the design, maximizing longevity, or something else entirely.
Every detail of each piece is there for a reason.
If you're interested in learning more about the different stitching styles, you can read about them here.
Leather Color
Most people naturally begin by choosing the color they like or one that fits with the things they own.
If you're open to exploring colors you wouldn't normally choose, It's worth imagining how they might look one year, five years, or ten years from now.
The image on the left shows my yellow Badalassi Carlo Pueblo leather case after five years of use. It originally had a bright yellow color with a rustic texture. Over time, it gradually developed a rich caramel tone, while the once-rustic matte surface transformed into a beautiful natural sheen—especially around the snap, where it has been handled the most.
Pueblo is undeniably one of the best vegetable-tanned leathers for its colors, unique character, and the remarkable transformation it develops with age.
With Shell Cordovan, even though darker colors are generally more popular, lighter and brighter Shell Cordovan colors offer the greatest potential for dramatic transformation with age.
Ultra Violet, for example, can become almost unrecognizably dark after years of use, gradually passing through several beautiful stages that may even resemble Color 8 at one point. Natural—and especially Raw Natural—offers one of the most remarkable patina journeys of all. Watching this transformation becomes even more fascinating when a piece combines two leather colors, as the relationship between them continues to evolve over time, as described below.
Pieces made using two or more leather colors—such as the reinforced-bottom eyeglasses cases—often begin with a strong contrast between the leathers. As each leather develops patina, however, that relationship gradually changes. Some combinations become more unified as the colors blend together, while others reveal even greater depth, contrast, and character over time. These pieces offer not only additional character from the beginning, but also the unique pleasure of watching the relationship between the leathers continue to evolve with age.
Quality leather develops patina through use and watching it evolve over the years is one of the most rewarding parts of owning it.
Choosing a color for how it looks today brings immediate satisfaction.
Choosing one for how it may look five or ten years from now is the reward of slow evolution.
Structure
If there is one thing I wish you could experience before choosing a piece, it would be holding it in your hands.
Some naturally feel firmer and more structured, while others have a softer, more relaxed character from the beginning. This is especially true with Shell Cordovan, as the leather naturally varies in thickness and temper, even within small single hide.
Some people naturally prefer a more solid, structured feel, while others enjoy a softer piece that feels more relaxed from the beginning. Neither is better—just different.
Whenever a piece is noticeably firmer, softer, lighter, or heavier than average, I'll mention it in the product description.
If you have any questions about a particular piece after reading this, please feel free to reach out.
If this inspires you to create something entirely your own, please explore the custom order options as well.