About Le Gars leathercraft


My name is Baptiste Le Gars, and every product you see here was handcut and handsewn by me. I started Le Gars leathercraft in 2020, in the middle of a long, lonely pandemic winter, to keep busy and warm.

Le gars leathercraft holding a leather messenger bag in front of him

The things I make reflect the way that I live. They’re simple in design, practical, and strike a balance between masculine and feminine energies. There are no bells and whistles here: if I’ve chosen a buckle, it’s because it’s easy to open and close. My focus is on durability, sustainability, and efficiency.

I don’t want to contribute to the throw-away economy, to produce goods that’ll fall apart or go out of fashion and wind up in a landfill. That’s why these products come with a lifetime warranty. I create pieces that you’ll only need to buy once, out of the highest quality Horween leather that’s been tanned using plants rather than heavy metals. And they’re intended for all genders and all ages, because different kinds of people are my favorite kinds of people. 

Meet the maker

“Le Gars” literally means “the dude.” I am the dude in question.

In 2013 I left my native France and began to travel, moving through Europe and the Americas with a backpack and a beat-up tent. I’d been hitchhiking for three years when I met my now wife in the Colombian jungle, and for five years when I discovered leatherwork. In other words, travel has brought me all the loves of my life.

Before leathercraft, I sat in front of a computer in an office building until I couldn’t bear to do another bullshit job. While traveling, I tried to reinvent myself. I started making accessories out of old skateboards and trying without success to sell them in the street. I thought about becoming an ice cream maker. Luckily for you, in Mexico City, I finally found leather and the satisfaction of creating something so durable that it would surely outlast me. 

Now Montreal, my wife’s city, is the place our little family (we’ve multiplied!) calls home. I’m so inspired by its local community of makers and love being a part of its burgeoning arts scene. Thanks for supporting me on this long journey. I hope you find something here that’ll keep you company as you create your own memories.

 

 


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