During the third year of my BFA in Fashion Design, I took an elective focused on leather craftsmanship, where I developed an understanding of leather construction techniques through the creation of three key accessories: a clutch, a belt, and a bag. My first project was a structured work clutch made from recycled leather. The process began with developing the pattern, followed by creating a prototype in mock leather before producing the final piece in leather. This workflow allowed me to understand how prototypes inform both construction and material decisions before working with the final material. I learned to cut leather by hand using a leather knife, accurately align edges with double-sided tape prior to stitching, and assemble the piece using an industrial leather sewing machine. The course emphasized the precision required in leather goods construction, including finishing techniques such as leaving excess thread and carefully melting the ends with heat to secure the stitch without visible backstitching. A significant part of the process was dedicated to edge finishing. After construction, each seam was trimmed to create an even edge before multiple layers of edge paint were applied. Between each application, the edges were sanded and heat-set to achieve a smooth finish. Through this project, I also developed an understanding of construction sequencing, learning how the order in which components are assembled directly affects both the functionality and quality of the final product. This experience gave me a strong appreciation for the precision, craftsmanship, and patience required in leather goods production, while strengthening my technical construction skills and attention to detail.
The same process was then applied to the development of a leather belt and a structured bag, allowing me to reinforce and refine these techniques through increasingly complex constructions. Repeating the full workflow—from pattern development and prototyping to final leather construction—gave me greater confidence in working with leather and a deeper understanding of precision manufacturing. Each project strengthened my ability to plan the order of construction, work accurately with specialist machinery and tools, and execute professional finishing techniques such as edge painting, sanding, and heat-setting. Together, these projects provided a solid technical foundation in leather craftsmanship and an appreciation for the level of detail required to produce high-quality leather accessories.
02 The Bag
03 The Belt