Wedge handbag - French goat leather in Antique Gold - Luxury edition *01

Layaway payment plan available. Just drop me a note at jill@scabbyrobot.com.

For years a daydream of mine has been wondering what happens when every detail of my Wedge handbag design is executed to the highest level of hand craftsmanship.

To find out, I’ve collaborated with friend Mark Hanks who operates a fine leather atelier in San Francisco. Mark is trained in traditional French leather working and does beautiful work.

Specifications

We have collaborated to make this Antique Gold goat leather Wedge handbag fully lined with pearlescent gold lambskin lining and cream highlight edge painting.

• Individually made, one-of-a-kind piece
• Measures approximately 13” wide x 27” overall drop
• Uniquely marked and numbered *01
• Includes storage box, dust bag and certificate of authenticity

Some of my favorite details:

Hand stitching

Mark drawing from his Hermès lineage classical training, shows off his incredible saddle stitching and edge treatment skills.

Each stitch is individually hand pierced with a diamond-shaped awl then stitched through with a single thread and two needles, one at each end of the thread.

Traditional french style edge finishing

Notice that crease that runs parallel to the edge line? Using a special tool, that crease is hot ironed into the leather in the traditional french style, showing the edges have been heat sealed.

After ironing Mark sands and paints those edges in multiple rounds to get the perfect finished cross section. Not only does this finish look sleek, but it helps to protect the handbag from moisture. 

Artisanally made leather

We are using goat leather, known as Chevre Chagrin Sully, from the Alran tannery in France. This is the same excellent leather luxury handbag brands use (think Fendi, Hermès).

It is a full grain leather, vegetable tanned in a unique 23-step process that takes over 3 weeks to produce each hide; a special technique that involves much handwork to give it a distinctive look.

The “Chagrin” refers to a particular grain texture that is brought out with special tannins and finishing. In addition to being gorgeous it happens to be durable, scratch resistant, and also stain resistant. This is very special leather.

24k gold plated hardware

Specially made 24k gold plated hardware finishes this piece. I had the pleasure of discovering Biro & Sons, my local metal platers, who used their collective expertise to make this happen.

Shoulder grip

A bit of suede texture will keep your bag in place on your shoulder; at the strap arc we’ve reversed a segment of leather to reveal the suede side. Hand-placed stitches in contrasting thread colors highlight this sweet detail. 

Interior pocket

Mark suggested a gorgeous lined pocket shape which narrows at the bottom, gently gripping the base of your phone so that it doesn’t rattle inside as you walk. It’s a refined detail that I love.

It is a gorgeous piece, fully living up to my imagination. It invites touch, smells amazing, and even sounds magnificent (squeezing it sounds luxurious omg). 

• Designed and made in San Francisco.
• Designed by Jill Harrell
• Made by Mark Hanks