Lotuff & Clegg English Brief
Heritage English Style, Handmade American Craftsmanship
Fine leather products carry with them a dose of nostalgia and owning one is truly a visceral experience. There’s just something about the supple feel and intoxicating smell of expertly worked leather. More often than not though, we harbor a prejudice that these products can only be crafted by those who have been working with leather for generations. This somehow implies that the necessary artisan skills have been lost over the years and cannot be taught. While we’ll certainly agree that heritage and experience will always add value to a product, if we’ve learned anything from our time with the Lotuff & Clegg’s English Brief, it’s that there is still room for upstarts to make fine leather goods.
“Early on, we understood that products were seen as a reflection of an individual’s personal style; and the best of those products—like the individual—got better with age.”
Launched last year in Fall River, Massachusetts Lotuff & Clegg has already been well received within the industry. Initially what caught our eye outside of their products looks was the founders’ attitude towards their trade: “Early on, we understood that products were seen as a reflection of an individual’s personal style; and the best of those products—like the individual—got better with age.” It’s a belief we share here a Gear Patrol and certainly applaud Lotuff & Clegg for maintaing. Oh, and did I mention they guarantee their work for life?
Lotuff & Clegg are confident in this pledge because when you restrict production to 100-150 pieces a week, you can take your time and do it right. As a consumer is this critical because if you’re going to shell out for a niche product like this, it had better stand the test of time. Ironically, Lotuff & Clegg even laugh at the idea of bragging about a product lasting for life, since they expect it to get better with age. Touché gentlemen.
While Lotuff & Clegg make a variety of bags, briefs, and folios, we opted for the English Brief. Maybe it’s our affinity for heritage styled products, but something about the English Brief spoke to us. Modeled after the traditional English school boy book bag, the English Brief looks as much at home in the boardroom as it did in the classroom. The brief was large enough to handle a MacBook, notepad and files, and a host of other day-to-day business necessities, all without bulging. This is accomplished by duel leather straps which encircle the brief and meet at brass buckles, which hold the bag closed and securely maintain it’s intended shape.
In summary, our experience while short, was very positive. We certainly turned a few heads on the street and commanded a bit more presence when we entered meetings carrying our sample. Remember bags don’t have to be entirely function driven. If you opt for the right one you can display a bit of your own personality in the process of carrying what you need. While we acknowledge this particular bag won’t be for everyone, it does help to know that after a career of service to you, it can be passed down to the next generation. Thinking that way, we did the math, and this bag is a pretty sweet deal.
Buy Now: $932
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