Luckily, today's designer brands recognize that not everyone wants their accessories to look the same, and offer a range of styles to cater to all tastes. From the heavy-vintage distressed style of Cowboys and Drift to the smooth finish of Calvin Klein and Jekyll & Hide or even the old-school finish of Tumble & Hide, leather accessories for us men offer a wealth of choice.
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| The coffee brown 'Cambridge' leather wallet from Jekyll & Hide is made from soft eco-friendly leather for a naturally smooth and unblemished look. £34 at PureLuxuries.com |
Whether you're looking at a belt, bag or a wallet, it's going to be developing some sort of patina over time as the leather fibres change, absorb liquids, are buffed / scraped and exposed to sunlight and heat. There are different leather finishes that affect how the leather develops, and of course there are things you can do to speed up or slow down the speed of the patina. Coated leather is generally the most resilient, designed to develop very little patina over time, while aniline leather has little finish so as to expose the fibres and encourage the patina to develop.
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| The 'Flyby' vintage leather wallet from Fossil displays a naturally aged 'vintage' patina from the day of purchase. £34 at PureLuxuries.com |
If you want to change the patina of your leather to age more quickly, you don't necessarily have to wait years. Using the leather lots and exposing it to daily use is a sure-fire way to encourage the patina to develop, especially on the softer leathers such as aniline. A well-built bag or wallet will resist the challenge of daily use while still developing a unique patina all of its own. On the other hand, if you prefer your leather to have that just-bought look, it's a good idea to go for a coated or protected leather. You can also apply leather balm to protect the leather against liquid, impact etc., which is perfect to slow the development of the patina as well as offering additional protection. Finally, cleaning the leather regularly will keep it free of dirt, dust etc., and will prevent a prominent patina from developing.
Personally, I'm all for letting the patina develop - I'm currently going with a Jekyll & Hide wallet, and love watching it slowly develop those unique touches that reflect the lifestyle. Get in touch and let me know what you favour for your leather.
Ben
