Garmento: Inside Leather Manufacturing at KnoxNY
Our next installment of the Garmento series led us to KnoxNY, a leather goods manufacturer in Red Hook, Brooklyn. At first glance, the studio of Jessica Maxcy seems too small to design in, let alone create a significant collection. But looks can be deceiving…
Leather bag design starts out similarly to apparel design, with a technical sketch that is measured (or “speced out”) and then converted into a paper pattern. From that point on, the process of turning a skin into a purse is very different from that of converting a fabric bolt into a garment. Let’s just say, cows don’t come in rolls, and since you can’t buy a yard of cow, material waste is a huge part of what makes leather so expensive. Maxcy gave us an example of a cute leather shirtdress, which would have taken no more than 2 yards of poplin, required 8 animal skins to complete! Also, leather is cut with utility knives instead of scissors, and can’t be sewn with your mama’s Singer…check out the video below to see all the specialty machines and equipment involved in making just one bag.
Another interesting dimension of today’s leather market is that the vast majority is now made overseas. Both NYC leather suppliers and leather manufacturers are dwindling in numbers, making locally-produced leather goods a rare commodity among the fashion cognoscenti. The current lack of American leather resources translates to big trouble for any indie designer interested in launching accessories, because high minimums and customs on Asian goods prohibit most small companies from getting in the game. Despite the difficulties of producing luxury handbags locally, we find that Maxcy’s own line is available in 20 stores across the country, and has been pulled by WWD on multiple occasions. Check out our video interview and photo gallery with Maxcy in her studio.
Link: Garmento video series
Link: KnoxNY
About Garmento:Garmento is a weekly feature on Coutorture devoted to giving you an inside look at the real fashion industry. Before the runway reviews and the photo shoots, before the ad campaigns and the Vogue editorials, an enormous network of fashion professionals are involved in the creation of every garment. Check us out every week for a new perspective on each step, from trend forecasting and design to manufacturing and sales. With every new profile, you’ll see that whether your fav outfit is from H&M or Hermes, the process is the same. Don’t become a fashion victim- inform yourself weekly with Garmento, and unleash the smart and savvy shopper within.
About Bob Bland: Bob Bland is a freelance writer and professional menswear designer with experience at Triple Five Soul, Rugby by Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Banana Republic. She is also the designer and founder of Brooklyn Royalty, a Williamsburg-based line of men’s and ladies’ apparel. Founded in 2006, the line combines timeless design principles, premium materials and hand-printed graphics for indispensible garments that are meant to look and wear better over time. For more on Bob Bland and Brooklyn Royalty, check out www.brooklynroyalty.com.