Australia is well-known for its stunning leather goods including fashionable  handbags, wallets, hats and clothing, crafted from some of the world’s finest leather skins. Simone Agius has turned her passion project into Simetrie – an Australian handbag brand, which has delighted local fashionistas  who keep demanding that she expand her collections.

HOW DID THE SIMETRIE STORY START IN AUSTRALIA?

As a young girl, I was always making things. I would empty the recycling box and make all sorts of toys using cartons and cardboard. When I started working full-time as a fashion designer in the handbag space, I was really missing that connection of creating with my hands. After I left my full-time job, I started freelancing to get some creative variety, and in my spare time, I thought about creating a side project where I could make my own designs and try to sell them online.

AUSTRALIA IS SO WELL-KNOWN FOR ITS LEATHER GOODS. WHY IS THAT?

There is so much we don’t know about Australia’s rich history with leathercraft. Indigenous Australians have worked with leather for thousands or tens of thousands of years for utility and clothing. When Australian manufacturing was thriving though, we were creating really intricate,  beautiful designs. I work with a local knife maker who used to make the cutting knives for Oroton, and he tells me how detailed those shapes were. Australian manufacturing hasn’t been allowed to express itself fully due to the cost that people are willing to pay for it. For the most part, though, I think people love Australian leather goods because they value the quality of Australian made.

TALK US THROUGH YOUR AUSSIE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR YOUR PRODUCTS?

My leather comes from the Australian tannery, Packer Leather. I’ve been only recently working with them. I’ve also worked with Austanners in  Geelong and Birdsall in Sydney. I work with vegetable-tanned kangaroo leather for some of my most intricate designs, and I also work with combination-tanned bovine (cow) leather for my more commercial designs.  I work with a local strap factory who cut, split, and glue and then re-cut the leather to make all my bag straps. Currently, I do the rest of the manufacturing on my own and conduct all the leather cutting with my industrial cutting press. I have a skiving machine, which helps to remove bulk from the leather at all the seams on the bags. I have a vintage Kingsley embossing machine which has been retro-fitted to allow me to foil emboss my logo on all my bags. I also offer personalisation with this machine. I then use water-based glue, and I use sewing machines to bring my handbag shapes together. With some of my designs, hand-sewing is required as well.