News
LUXURIOUS MAGAZINE
Jun/Jul 2012
Mia Sabel
Leather Designer and Saddle Maker
“Following a successful 25-year career in brand design and thread, Mia Sabel embarked upon a new career, practising authentic leather craft skills within the tradition of English saddlery. Mia has studies saddlery as well as associated skills such as traditional upholstery, framed bag-making, case-making, leather technology and leather sewing-machine skills and she is currently studying harness-making. She uses these specialised and traditional skills to create equine products and luxury leather goods for humans, pets and homes.
Using traditional and custom-made tools, Mia uses the high standards required of saddlery in all of her leather goods: hand-cutting, hand-stitching using hand-waxed linen thread which Mia can make herself and hand-burnishing leather edges using a cow bone and elbow grease.
Mia sources her materials from the UK wherever possible and uses only the best quality, which includes Sedgwick Bridle Leather and English brass fittings. Mia’s many products fall into three sections” Horse, Human and Home. Saddlery items include saddles, girths and stirrup leathers, bridles, training aids and head collars.
Her range of modular stationery (organisers, desk pads, artist pads, fold-over pads) has standard hole-punch holes and can use recycled paper.
In a thoughtful fusion of the old and the new, Mia offers downloadable diary pages on her website, enabling customers to fill her diary organiser using their own paper and printer.
Bespoke bags are made to customer requirements and made-to-measure and bespoke watch straps are available in a wide range of leather and thread colours. All of her belts, whether casual or dress, are hand-stitched and polished using bridle leather. Most of Mia’s products can be personalised with initials and names and a decorative ‘typographic stamping effect’ can also be achieved by stamping a name randomly over the leather, with each letter stamped individually. Hand-stitching in traditional waxed linen thread in a variety of colours is also offered.
Mia’s range even extends to Leather Love Saddle Soap, her own recipe the leather food’ designed to protect new leather goods or restore old and much-loved items. Sold alongside her leather MOT and restoration services, it is evidence of Mia’s genuine love and respect for leather as an artist’s material.”
