De Montfort University has partnered with the Museum of Leathercraft for an emerging collaboration Artifacts Live: A Legacy in Leather project combining artisanal skills with student innovation.

Ana Del Rio Malarkey for Artifacts Live from DMU

The Museum has loaned DMU 20 artifacts covering a breadth of cultural and geographic origins, stretching back over centuries from the 15^th century to more recent times, as inspiration for students to research and test hand skilled techniques, which are increasingly rare in today’s creative economy.

The students, working initially in cross-disciplinary pairs, selected two artifacts to study and develop emerging technologies within the University to celebrate their own specialisms. The students are a blend across Fashion & Textiles and Art, Design and Architecture. Techniques have addressed embossing, electroplating, laser cutting, water jet and 3D printing, wet moulding, and beyond.

Artifacts on loan include a Byzantine Gondola chair in gilt leather, a 17^th century Samurai saddle, embroidered Elizabethan gauntlets and a 19^th century  Bavarian ceremonial horse harness.

The project launched in January 2023 with a Leather Trip, sponsored by The Leathersellers Company, one of the UK’s oldest Worshipful Companies. Beginning with a visit to Bill Amberg’s London studio. Amberg, whose clients including Louboutin, Montblanc and Aston Martin, is Britain’s leading architectural and interior leather designer. He also ran a masterclass at DMU to support the project. The tour visited Pittards tannery in Yeovil, for a comprehensive view of the leather tanning and manufacturing process before moving onto Mulberry, outside Bath, for a lesson in sustainable bespoke bag production.

Imogen Sullivan for Artifacts Live at DMU

The project is being supported by the breadth of the leather and associated industries who have all donated time, expertise, encouragement and hides. The focus of the products developed by the students were challenged to address deadstock, upcycled and reusable leather in line with the University sustainability directives. Contributing companies included: Abbey England, Walter Reginald, Doc Martens, Pittards, A Force, Tusting, for skins and componentry. Wider support for the project has been offered by Ruth Glen, UKFT, Artsthread, Leather Conservation Centre, Leather UK, The Leathersellers Company, Charles Laurie London, Giulia Mio, GH Leathers, The Saddlers Company,  various others and a wide variety of single Makers in leather determined to highlight this astonishing industry.

The Artifacts Live project will culminate in an exhibition opening at the DMU Museum in January, 2024 showcasing the original artifacts and emerging product solutions by the Artifactors team of students.

Artifacts Live; A Legacy in Leather Exhibition will be open from the end of January to the end of June 2024 at the De Montfort University Museum. A series of events, interactive sessions, talks, etc are planned throughout the exhibition.

Ana Del Rio Mullarkey, Fashion Design, chose a rare leather Spanish fan and a mysterious, 14th century small strongbox as her inspirational items. She spent months spent learning traditional skills to add detailed and intricate touches to her whole collection, which wowed the judges at Graduate Fashion Week, Europe’s biggest showcase for young designers for her innovative collection all made from sustainable leather. Ana won the GFW Innovation Award. Her collection included a laser cut dress made from offcut panels from shoe making that would normally have gone to waste, overlaying a leather shirt and skirt made from embossed leather, a skirt embellished with knives, forks and spoons all intricately moulded from leather and hand stitched trapunto quilted jackets.

Lucy Dollery for Artifacts Live from DMU

Several of the Artifact students received prizes for the Leathersellers Design Awards for 2023 including Lucy Dollery, a collection of knitted, crochet and leather garments and accessories, combining the intricacies of harnessing, and Olivia Bodak’s corseted leather trenchcoat with 3D sculpted sleeves.

Claire Lennon, Master of The Worshipful Company of Leathersellers, said they were “blown away” by the creativity of the student designs using leather. She said: “The students have such a passion for the industry and the enthusiasm they have shown and continue to show is incredible. The Leathersellers which began life to represent the skills of crafts people working in the leather industry, today provides funding for technical education, research and grants to support university students.

Ms Lennon added: “Projects like this are crucial for keeping leather skills alive. The students have been absolutely inspired by it and really embraced the heritage aspects of the project. Considering how concerned DMU are regarding sustainability and leather as a sustainable practice it is an important project for all of us.”

VISIT THE DE MONTFORT UNIVERSITY WEBSITE

Images courtesy of Paul Read Photography for Artifacts Live.

De Montfort University is a UKFT Education Partner. Click on the link below to learn more about the UKFT membership:

JOIN UKFT