Leather Archives - Our Stories

Behind the Design: The Lake Erie Monster Leather Bags

Posted on 11.08.2017 (08.03.2021) by Taylor Rebhan

In celebration of our very first automatic and dive watch, the Lake Erie Monster, our Detroit leather artisans’ designed 20 custom one-of-a-kind handbags. Every detail was considered while making these bags, and each one took over 14 hours to complete. Take a look at the photo essay below for a closer look behind these hand-crafted […]

Detroit Leather Team’s newest accomplishment: The Mini Drawstring Bag

Posted on 08.31.2017 (08.03.2021) by Taylor Rebhan

Shinola’s Detroit leather factory isn’t the type of place where automated machines do all the work. From leather hide to finished product, there are ten artisans meticulously completing 39 steps to build just one Mini Drawstring. This new handbag is the direct result of Shinola’s dedication to learn the skills needed to increase in-house production. Read more to learn about the […]

#TravelWithShinola to Copenhagen

Posted on 06.28.2017 (02.05.2018) by Taylor Rebhan

Since quitting her job in Silicon Valley, travel blogger Christine Amarose has bartended on the beaches of the French Riviera, drank coffee in Melbourne, backpacked through Southeast Asia and roadtripped across the United States. Today, she lives in New York City and continues to travel around the globe. “I believe in daring to live the life […]

All About Wallets

Posted on 01.23.2017 (08.03.2021) by Taylor Rebhan

Everyone uses a wallet, but no one uses it the same way. John Truex and Richard Lambertson, Shinola’s co-design directors of leather, had that notion top of mind when they designed our core collection of Shinola wallets. “There are so many things to consider about the way someone lives that will dictate the pieces we […]

A Peek at Our Spring Leather Collection

Posted on 01.18.2017 (08.03.2021) by Taylor Rebhan

This Spring we’re launching new colors for both our fresh leather designs and popular classics. We’ll continue to bring you new color options throughout the season, but for now, take a look at our two new favorites — Chili Pepper and Ocean, alongside Shinola’s timeless standbys: bourbon and deep brown. Ocean [[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_original”,”fid”:”3170″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”height”:”540″,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”,”width”:”960″}}]] Ocean is a […]

#LoveMyCity London with Garconjon

Posted on 01.04.2017 (08.03.2021) by Taylor Rebhan

Jonathan Daniel Price, better known as Garconjon, is a London-based photographer specializing in fashion and street photography. In 2014, he launched a project we connected closely with called Man/Men: Manufacturing Menswear, a journal of British craftsmanship that profiles the industry leaders behind British manufacturing and high quality menswear still being produced in the UK. We […]

A Look Inside Our Leather Factory

Posted on 12.09.2016 (08.03.2021) by Taylor Rebhan

It hums, it beeps, it buzzes, it clangs — but only the artisans in blue lab coats can make Shinola’s leather factory sing. The team, 66 in total, is made up of people of all ages, from all walks of life and nearly every industry from automotive to healthcare to hospitality. Their one common thread […]

Styling Detroit with Roslyn Karamoko

Posted on 12.06.2016 (08.03.2021) by Taylor Rebhan

Meet Roslyn Karamoko, founder of the brand Détroit is the New Black. Just this summer, she opened her first brick-and-mortar store in the heart of downtown Detroit. After moving here from Seattle in 2013, she started the brand as a platform for design and inspiration in the city with pop-up shops around town. Today, her […]

City Essential: Zip Top Messenger Bag

Posted on 11.10.2016 (08.03.2021) by Taylor Rebhan

There’s that universal feeling we all share, before we leave home each morning, to have peace of mind in knowing you didn’t forget anything for the day ahead. Our Zip Top Messenger was created with this feeling in mind and makes the ideal day bag or briefcase. Inspired by the smart silhouette of vintage camera bags […]

Transforming Raw Hide into Premium Leather

Posted on 10.12.2016 (08.03.2021) by Taylor Rebhan

It’s 8 a.m. on a Tuesday in Detroit, and 2,500 feet of our signature bourbon leather has just arrived at our facility. Incoming Quality Specialist Damond Love and his counterpart Chris Maxwell inspect the hides personally under a lightbox custom-made for Shinola. They match each hide against the master color swatch, measure it, then check […]