Some well-known leather workers include Saints Crispin and Crispinian, the patron saints of shoemakers and tanners; Hans Sachs, a Nuremberg shoemaker who also wrote poetry; Thierry Hermès, who started a harness workshop in Paris; Louis Vuitton, a trunk maker; Guccio Gucci, who opened a leather goods shop in Florence; Salvatore Ferragamo, an Italian shoemaker; Edward H. Bohlin, a Hollywood saddlemaker; and Al Stohlman, who wrote many leathercraft books.
Their work ran from shoes and saddles to luggage and hobby kits. Some are known for their craft, and others for the businesses they founded.
Saints and early shoemakers
Saints Crispin and Crispinian are the patron saints of shoemakers, cobblers, and tanners. Their feast day is 25 October.
Several shoemakers became known for work outside their trade. Hans Sachs (1494–1576) was a shoemaker in Nuremberg and a Meistersinger, a member of a German guild of poet-singers. Jakob Böhme (1575–1624) was a German shoemaker who wrote mystical works. George Fox (1624–1691) trained as a shoemaker’s apprentice before he founded the Religious Society of Friends, known as the Quakers.
For the guild system that trained these craftspeople, see medieval leatherworking techniques.
Founders of luxury leather houses
Several well-known fashion houses started as leather workshops.
- Thierry Hermès founded Hermès in Paris in 1837 as a harness workshop. Horse gear was its original business.
- Louis Vuitton, a trunk maker, founded his house in 1854. His best-known canvas goods are mostly coated canvas with leather trim, not all leather.
- Guccio Gucci founded Gucci in Florence in 1921 as a leather goods shop.
- Salvatore Ferragamo (1898–1960) was an Italian shoemaker. He is often remembered by the nickname “shoemaker to the stars.”
These houses grew into large brands. Their early work was rooted in the trades described in what leather makers are called.
Saddlers and western craftspeople
Edward H. Bohlin (1895–1980) was a Swedish-born saddlemaker in Hollywood. He was known for silver-mounted saddles.
Don King was a saddlemaker in Sheridan, Wyoming. He is credited with developing the Sheridan style of leather carving, which is often linked to floral designs. He did not invent floral carving itself. He developed a particular style of it.
For the carving and tooling vocabulary used in this work, see leather making terms.
Hobby craft and teachers
Charles D. Tandy grew Tandy Leather, which was founded in Fort Worth in 1919. He later built Tandy Corp, which owned RadioShack. After World War II, the company turned to hobby kits, and those kits were also used in veterans’ hospital therapy.
Al Stohlman (1919–1998) wrote dozens of instructional books on leathercraft, several of which are still standard reading for learners. The Al Stohlman Award, established in 1984, carries his name. He wrote books that Tandy published, but he did not found the company.
Hobby craft has its own history, which the history of leathercraft covers in more depth.
How to judge “famous” in leathercraft
Fame depends on the niche. Historical craftspeople are known through surviving records and objects. Modern makers are more often known through social media, online sales, and word of mouth, and those change quickly. This article avoids sales figures and follower counts, because they are hard to verify and shift from year to year.
The Schott company’s Perfecto became a motorcycle classic, and the history of the leather jacket covers how.
Common misconceptions
- Louis Vuitton’s signature goods are mostly coated canvas with leather trim. They are not all leather.
- Al Stohlman did not found Tandy. He wrote books that Tandy published.
- Don King did not invent floral carving. He developed the Sheridan style.
- Fame in leathercraft changes quickly. Be cautious with claims about sales or popularity.