Leather in the raw

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When former graphic designers Darren Hsieh (謝政倫) and Phoebe Chang (張雯惠) decided they needed a change of pace three years ago, they quickly and decisively cobbled together a new career plan. Just two months after teaching themselves basic leatherworking techniques, the couple opened a studio in Taipei’s East District (東區), where they have crafted and sold handmade purses and accessories since 2006.

“Our designs are very freestyle because we are self-taught. The things we make don’t look the same as if we had used traditional leatherworking methods and that is what makes our work special,” says Hsieh.

In their former jobs, the two worked mainly on advertisements, but they decided to embark on a new career path that would give them more independence and a chance to let their own aesthetic take center stage.

They were attracted to leather because it is a dynamic material that becomes more beautiful with use, Hsieh said, as he hand-stitched a black messenger bag at their workstation while Chang deftly hammered grommets through a leather strap. Both taught themselves leatherworking basics from books and Web sites, refining the rest of their technique through experimentation.

“We don’t want to over-design our items because each piece of leather is special. Sometimes it’s hard to find a balance,” says Hsieh. “Leather continues to change, even though the animal it came from is dead. It develops a patina with use, for example. That’s what got us excited about working with it in the first place.”

Figure 21 bags and accessories are designed to showcase and preserve the original form of the leather each piece is crafted from. Wallets and purses have raw edges and are lightly stained in rich earth tones to allow the natural grain of the skin to show through; the colors are highlighted with contrasting stitching in thick, waxed-cotton thread. Smaller pieces of leather are left whole and folded into asymmetrical billfolds, eyeglass cases and pouches. Pieces with a more polished aesthetic include a simple red tote with a brown strap and silver hardware, and a wallet with painstakingly applied pleating on the side to make it resemble a sleek black seashell. Belts and key chains are made out of leather strips left over from larger items.

Chang and Hsieh use brand new skins, but visit flea markets to find inspiration for their creations. Their store’s interior, which wouldn’t look out of place in a Japanese zakka catalog or shabby-chic decorating magazine, also reflects their passion for seeking out diamonds in the rough. Much of the furniture was plucked from dumpsters or the side of the road, while a vintage hand-operated sewing machine came from Chang’s childhood home. Vintage cameras, matchbox cars, candy tins, wooden shoe forms, plastic toys and a typewriter are carefully arranged like precious treasure in shelves made of weathered wood. Chang and Hsieh work in a small alcove to the left of the entrance.

“We like to use recycled and found objects. We like things that are imperfect and marked, but that have a story,” says Hsieh.

Since the design of each item is based on the leather it is made from, every article in the store is limited edition. The store’s name is a play on the phrase “figure to one,” which points to the singular nature of each bag, wallet or key chain.