We’re always on the lookout for new labels, so you, our dear readers, are always in the know. One of the most exciting new brands we’ve come across recently, launches today—Less Leather—and it’s all about making your life easier. Less Leather is an independent leather label, simplifying the way you accessorise, and uses premium materials with no branding. And to make things even more interesting, the label only sells its products in ‘ensembles’, so you can keep your life (and accessories) streamlined.
To learn more about the label, we sat down with founder Jarrad McLean for a quick chat about the theory behind the label and what it aims to achieve. Keep scrolling to read our interview and shop an ensemble for yourself.
Who What Wear Australia: Why did you decide to launch Less Leather?Jarrad McLean: You know when you empty your pockets or dump your bag onto a cafe table… and it all just clashes? Black phone case, tan bag, and your keys are just a mess? I hated that. I’ve chosen to dress in a way that’s cohesive and works together, so why doesn’t that extend to the things I carry every day? Actually, why doesn’t it start there? Less Leather was birthed in that question. That’s why we make ensembles of accessories, not just individual pieces.
WWW: Do you have a background in design?JM: Not in fashion design! That’s what I love about creativity, it’s so transferable between applications too often thought of as separate. So I guess I always have been creating, be it musically, or with pen and paper, or re-building a motorcycle, or with the lens of a camera (I don’t think we can count that time I tried to make some furniture for Mum).
WWW: How did you decide what pieces to launch with and why?JM: I’ve borrowed the theory from Marie Kondō, where you decide if an item really belongs in your life by asking “Does this spark joy?”. My friends and I have spent the past year testing a whole lot of Less Leather pieces and continually asking that question. These are the ones that remain. WWW: We love Marie Kondō! We’re sold! Where do you source your leather?JM: We exclusively use kangaroo leather from a small-batch Australian tannery. Australian leather is amongst the best in the world, and kangaroo leather is just so thin and so strong that it was a no-brainer.
WWW: And lastly, there’s so many brands out there creating minimal leather goods, what makes Less Leather unique?JM: This is something I thought long and hard about, because you’re so right! There are many great ‘luxury minimalist leather goods’ brands on the scene. The thing is though, none of those buzzwords resonate with me. I mean, luxury? I want adventure. So for Less Leather, minimalism is not a stylistic label. Our simplicity is not even what’s important. What’s important is that you as a person live your life to the fullest, travelling and engaging with people, and loving and experiencing the world. The items that you carry around every single day should really just stay out of the way. If in some small way they spark joy and amplify the truly important things, then we have done our job.
What do you think about this brand's philosophy? Is it something you could get behind? Share in the comments below.
Opening image: Liz Sunshine of Street Smith
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