Mr. Suzuki is delighted with his fitting.

Discussing the Charm and Nuances of Leather

Masafumi Suzuki“Leather is indispensable for Kondo-san’s products, but why do you prefer leather?”

Kaneyoshi Kondo“Leather is a natural material, and it comes with immense constraints. Considering the size of the raw hide, it retains the form of the living creature itself, making it truly authentic. For instance, if you compare my leather to Mr. Suzuki’s, even though both are from men, their origins differ, leading to different dyeing characteristics. To put it extremely, their very essence can differ. We then dye them together. For one outer garment, we might use three to four calfskins, or about six sheepskins for pants. Because each piece is unique, it’s interesting, isn’t it? Perhaps I’m still searching for ‘why leather is interesting.’ When I’m working, the leather calls to me (laughs).”

Suzuki“What kind of tanning do you use?”

Kondo“Mostly from Italy.”

Suzuki“Around Pisa?”

Kondo“That’s right.”

Suzuki“Tuscany is the heartland for that in Italy. Why is Italy so good?”

Kondo“The water is certainly good. I also hear that because it’s a local industry, regulations are somewhat more relaxed. That’s likely a historical fact.”

Mr. Kaneyoshi Kondo

What About Matsusaka Beef Leather?

Suzuki“What is the current state of raw hides?”

Kondo“I can’t outright deny everything, but globally, the materials aren’t good, and the quality is poor.”

Mr. Masafumi Suzuki

Suzuki“I often hear that, but what is the cause?”

Kondo“Of course, various factors are intertwined, but there are droughts worldwide, and animals cannot get enough food and water. This causes their skin to become dry and susceptible to insect damage. In other words, it results in dry, poor-quality hides. To address this, technologies for secondary and tertiary processing, or finishing through washing, emerge.”

Suzuki“I see. So humans think of further innovation.”

Kondo“It’s difficult to consistently obtain beautiful hides in their raw state these days. I’ve been working with leather for about eight years, and this is my third supplier. First, raw hides are hard to come by. Consequently, I can’t produce anything I’m satisfied with.”

Suzuki“The most delicious beef in Europe is said to be Charolais cattle along the Rhône River. They are huge cows.”

From the Leather Collection

Kondo“The hides of delicious cows are good. Conversely, cows with good hides are delicious (laughs).”

Suzuki“So, would Matsusaka beef leather be good in Japan?”

Kondo“That would absolutely be good! I’d love to try the meat from this ‘Babe Rouge’ too (laughs).”

Suzuki“What is the reason you can confidently say it’s delicious?”

Kondo“Because the quality of the meat translates into the hide, good meat should lead to good hide.”

Suzuki“I see.”

Latest Leather Sneakers

L&KONDO (Le Kondo)

Designer Kaneyoshi Kondo started his brand career with 'KONDO,' established in '93 after working as a freelancer. In 2002, the brand name was changed to 'L&KONDO.' The brand creates highly sophisticated, high-quality items with the theme of 'elegant flow of time' that can be felt through leather.
http://l-kondo.com