How do we design our leather bags? Sometimes the process of design is unknown when you buy a product. For Mattocks, our processes can be a little unusual. Sometimes we also use traditional methods too. As most of our bags are sustainable and free from intensive factory processes, we have to approach some things differently. Creating a paper mock-up is a key process for accessory design. This allows us to evaluate the shape and form before we make leather prototypes. Sometimes we will make many paper mock-ups of bags before we are able to make a leather version. Are textile art techniques also change how we develop leather bags and accessory designs. Because all our bags are designed to be entirely handcrafted we have to be careful with the shapes and forms of bags and also to ensure they can be built to last. Textile art and embossed prints in leather are also part of our new leather bag collection. This goes back to our Lee Mattocks’s roots in textile art. Developing a repeat print on leather with foils and embossing is a little different than traditional textile printing. This is because we need to transfer each colour of the image onto a brass or magnesium plate. After this we can heat emboss foils and laminates directly onto the leather. This is a traditional leather embossing technique normally used for branding. Embossing logo’s and monogramming are very common techniques in leather. Embossing larger scale repeat artworks is not. How do we emboss artworks onto leather bags? This is a technique we are developing for our new collection so we can apply are archive of artworks to our bags to join Lee’s past practice in textile art with his expertise in contemporary craft and leather. We are excited to share these leather techniques and textile art and print techniques with you over the next few months. We will be sharing a new bag this year at the Knitting & Stitching show 2023 at London and Harrogate with The Embroiderers Guild. The Embroiderers Guild will be hosting a retrospective exhibition at the shows this year and we will display a limited edition bag showcasing this new technique and style of design. Inspired by nature we hope to develop a range of classic prints to apply to accessories so our customers can purchase something even more unique. As an embroiderers guild scholar, Lee created many embroideries from 2002-2010 before he fell in love with leather. He’s excited to be exhibiting with the Embroiderers Guild this year and combining his past life with his current leather craft practice. I’m sure the results will be some very popular new bags for 2024 and beyond. You can view embroidery work supported by the guild and its many initiates here: https://embroiderersguild.com
