Atelier · London

Materials
& Craft

Five materials. One discipline. Each piece begins with what was alive.

Taurillon leather close-up

Philosophy

We begin with what is real.

Three tanneries supply us — two in southern France, one in Italy. Brass for the hardware. Wood for the structure no one sees. Each hide is inspected by hand before cutting.

No synthetic leather · No composite boards · No magnetic snaps

Taurillon leather close-up — The Harriet M

01 — Taurillon

Pebble Grain, Full Depth

Full-grain hides from bulls raised in southern France. The pebbled texture is not embossed — it develops through the animal’s life. Semi-aniline finished. 2.1–2.3mm thickness. Scratch-resistant and patina-forming. Used in the Harriet M, the Harriet S, the Carpet Bag, and the Men’s Wallet.

  • SourceSouthern France
  • GradeFull Grain, 2.1–2.3mm
  • FinishSemi-Aniline
  • CharacterPatina-forming, scratch-resistant
Nappa calfskin — Her Majesty

02 — Nappa

Hand-Selected Calfskin

Italian calfskin, 1.1–1.3mm, aniline finished. The smoothest grade we use — chosen for pieces that require a clean, structured exterior. Used in Her Majesty, the Cabin Mini Trunk, the Mobile Mini Trunk, the Equestre Crossbody, and the Clutch. Each hide is inspected in raking light before cutting.

  • SourceItalian Tanneries
  • GradeFull Grain, 1.1–1.3mm
  • FinishAniline
  • CharacterSmooth, structured
Nubuck lining interior — Mini Trunk in Thames Mist

03 — Nubuck

The Lining That Lasts

Every Cave piece is lined in nubuck — full-grain leather buffed on the grain side to create a fine, suede-like texture. 1.2mm. It does not pill, peel, or separate. It develops a gentle patina over time. The lining is as considered as the exterior.

  • TypeFull-grain buffed leather
  • Thickness1.2mm
  • CharacterDurable, patina-forming
18-karat gold lock on solid brass — Mobile Mini Trunk

04 — Hardware

18-Karat Gold on Solid Brass

Every clasp, lock, and stud begins as solid brass — die-cast, filed, hand-polished, then plated in 18-karat gold. Trunk locks are precision-engineered by a master watchmaker: spring-loaded, 1.8N closure force. No magnetic snaps. No plated zamak. No compromise.

  • BaseSolid brass
  • Plating18-karat gold
  • Trunk locks1.8N spring-loaded
  • ByMaster watchmaker
Steamed wood interior structure — exploded view

05 — Steamed Wood

The Structure No One Sees

The Cabin Mini Trunk, the Mobile Mini Trunk, and the Clutch contain a solid steamed wood interior — hand-shaped into curves, entirely concealed beneath Nappa leather. Derived from Cave’s railway trunks of the 1860s, when trunks were built to survive decades of hard travel. That principle remains.

  • MaterialSolid steamed wood
  • ProcessHand-shaped, curved
  • OriginCave railway trunks, 1860s

The Collection

See the Pieces

Thirteen pieces, each made in runs of fewer than fifty.

View the Collection