Born in Chicago — Between Tradition and the Art of Leather
Karen was born in 1959 in the heart of Chicago — a city where cobblestone streets, brick storefronts, and time-honored trades have long stood as symbols of dedication and craft.
Even as a child, she was surrounded by the scent of worn leather and the rhythmic sound of her family's sewing machines humming in the background.
Her parents ran a modest but well-loved leather goods shop downtown. It was there that Karen first understood what it meant to make something that would last — something meant to be used, loved, and passed on.
A Quiet Love for Leather — Grown by Hand, Rooted in Heart
Though her parents dreamed of a more predictable future for her, Karen was always drawn to the back of the shop — to the rows of tools, the scent of tanned hide, and the meditative focus of hand-stitching.
While other children played outside, she sat at the workbench, carefully threading needles, burnishing edges, and observing every detail as raw leather became a finely crafted bag.
Those quiet afternoons became her foundation.
They didn’t just shape her hands —they shaped her purpose.
