My great-grandfather opened an exotic skin tannery in Singapore and since then, my family has for four generations, been the privileged custodians of a century-spanning dynasty of highly skilled Singaporean tanning artisans.
The production and craftsmanship of exotic skin is in my blood – in a sense, it has been running through my family’s DNA since before I was even born. I take great pride in the fact that I am the only designer of exotic skin handbags who has spent his formative years exploring this majestic, time-honoured craft in a family-owned tannery.
When I was a child, my father and grandfather would often take me to the workshop located at the end of our garden. Surrounded by the rich perfume of leather and hide, I grew up learning about the delicate art of preservation and the laborious processes needed to transform a skin into a finished leather that will withstand the test of time.