The studio

Seventyfour is an artisan leather studio with a design philosophy of simplicity. We are based on the East Coast of South Africa in the coastal town of East London. Every Seventyfour creation is cut by hand and 100%hand-stitched. Yes, stitch by stitch! Our traditional leather hides are considered among the finest full-grain leathers in South Africa. Our bags will be kept a lifetime, growing more beautiful from the changes of the leather hides as they are handled in use. All at once sturdy and supple, handling alone will impress upon the owner the inherent value of the product.

Our bags and their names

All of our bags are named after seafood species on the WWF Sassi list for endangered ocean species. We encourage people to make sustainable choices.  Click here to download the SASSI pocket guide  http://wwfsassi.co.za/why-choose-green/

Meet Adria, the maker

I have been obsessed with the ocean ever since I can remember. Growing up in South Africa, every summer my family would go on excursions to the sea, where we would play in the water all day, picking up treasures from the sea to take back with us. Every time we left the coast it felt like I was leaving a piece of me behind.

Naturally, this obsession has found its way into my craft, deepening the underlying character of the brand, Seventyfour. In addition, my family heritage in the leather goods industry finds its way in every piece made. I still have a leather ballet pump that my great-grandfather handcrafted for my mother when she was a child, along with the rest of the family.

Today the same care that my great-grandfather used in every stitch is used in every Seventyfour product, we care about the impact we have on each other and the planet. Everything we make, we handcraft to last, leather that changes for the better with time. 

Seventyfour, freedom to be ...