Paris,
Hand-sewn leather bags and other delights...
Day after day, from the comfort of the courtyard, I patiently keep watch of everything
that Atelier Renard’s talented leatherworkers get up to. With their expert saddlery
skills, their infinitely detailed work is an art form. I'm not the only one watching them,
by the way: each and every hand-sewn piece sparks real excitement and admiration
among all the plants in the courtyard. But I’ve got the best seat in the house. My
slender branches are just in front of the workbench and I can see everything through
the picture window: the tools, the sketches, the bags as they’re being made…
The pieces they create boast truly unique craftsmanship which has been handed
down from generation to generation and remains a jealously guarded secret.
Let me tell you a little something: I’ve got my own ideas about the driving force
behind this rare artistry. In my opinion, it all comes down to the incredible hands of
Atelier Renard’s artisans, which work the leather, making the same age-old, precise
and skilled movements, over and over again. If you promise that you’ll keep it to
yourself, I’ll let you watch them with me: you’ll understand what I’m talking about
then.
Look at those skilful hands handling the leather, working it into a bag, a wallet or
something else entirely. I’ve seen them make endless original pieces: a cabin trunk,
lambskin trays decorated with Swarovski crystals, accessories for the Élysée Palace
and even a case for a (golden) toothpick. That’s the joy of bespoke leather goods!
The careful choreography of our artisans’ impressive hands!
As I was saying, the expert hands of our leatherworkers are the real stars of the show
at Atelier Renard.
Whether the leather requires a gentle touch or a firmer grip, their hands are
constantly in movement. Working incredibly carefully, their fingertips stroke, smooth,
shape, press and sew the different leathers. As a camellia, I can only dream of
having hands! With my slender branches, my evergreen leaves and my perfect rose-
shaped flowers, I’m elegant but so impractical.
Sewing an entire bag by hand is a demanding task which requires skilled hands and
time – lots of time. And when it comes to making these bespoke pieces, our expert
leatherworkers understand the importance of taking their time. No matter what’s
being made at Atelier Renard, our artisans’ hands repeat the same movements
countless times. Why? To transform the leather pieces you can see laid out on the
workbench into a stunning and subtly luxurious leather bag or hand-sewn wallet
which is sure to stand out.
Let me tell you about the myriad steps involved in making a bag at Atelier Renard,
the sequence of movements which require astonishing precision and the lightest of
touches. That’s when our artisans’ expert knowledge really comes to the fore.
Firstly, they cut out the inner and outer pieces from classic or exotic leathers, along
with the bag’s reinforcements. Here at Atelier Renard, everything’s made of leather,
even if you can’t see it! The pieces are cut out differently, depending on the bag’s
style: sellier (literally translated as “saddler”, this creates a more rigid finish) or
retourné (the French for “reversed”; the bag is assembled inside out for a softer
result). This is a vital stage of the process, expertly carried out by our leatherworkers.
The leather must feel solid and look flawless to ensure an incredible final result.
Atelier Renard strives for perfection.
Once the pieces have been cut out, it’s time to split them. Using a leather splitting
machine, each piece is thinned. From the bag’s body to its gusset, from its lining to
its pockets and handles, our expert leatherworkers must adapt the process to the
varying thickness of each piece.
The creation of a bespoke bag at Atelier Renard
After a cup of coffee in the courtyard or by the workbench, it’s time to prepare, glue
and trim the pieces. At Atelier Renard, our clients choose the bag’s interior, along
with the number and placement of the pockets. It’s up to the client: will there be a
central zipped pocket for a pair of glasses, a small, flat pocket for a phone, a large
section for a laptop? And while we’re at it, how about a key holder?
The aim? A practical and truly bespoke leather piece which will be by your side for
years to come!
Now it’s time to assemble the bag.
A sellier bag is made right side out before being sewn by hand. I’ll explain that in
more detail soon enough! I’ve seen it so often that I’ve become an expert in
traditional saddlery techniques myself. A retourné bag has a soft feel: it’s assembled
inside out and features subtle piping between the body and the gussets. The
leatherworkers gently push their thumbs into the corners of the bag to turn it inside
out, working carefully so as not to damage the body of the bag.
It’s an amazing creative process and it all takes time. How often have I watched them
through the picture window, as they put the same item back on the workbench? Real
patience is required to make a luxury leather bag which is designed to develop a
patina over time.
As the courtyard’s camellia, it’s always a pleasure to see these hands working hard,
expressing creativity and showing respect for the incredible materials used. Every
day, I watch the leatherworkers’ seemingly endless choreography as they use a
multitude of tools: hammers, cutters and presses. Listen! Can you hear the sound of
beeswax gliding over linen thread?
« By the work one knows the workman. » Jean de la Fontaine
Would you like another glimpse of Atelier Renard’s day-to-day activities? This way.
