FROM A REBEL TO ANOTHER

WHO.   I am designer and craftswoman Pauliina Patomäki. Originally trained as a interior architect I want to approach craftsmanship and design in a my own, bit of a rebellious way. In a world nowadays dominated by reckless speed of the fashion industry, I focus on mindful over mass production. I embrace materials which have the ability to form patina. Leather. Metal. Clay. Bone. Wood.

WHERE.   Rebel Leather is a workshop based in Helsinki, Finland. The company began in early 2011 as a shoe repairing shop. What started as a side project, that is, making custom made upholstery, handbags and accessories, turned into a creative workshop.

WHY.   Rebel Leather was born out of passion for making things by hand and desire to create durable, timeless items without boundaries between design and actual manufacturing.
I make things I love. These are the things I make.

WHAT.  Most of Rebel Leather products are produced from vegetable tanned leather. The nature of the material has a long wearing lifespan. If cared properly, a vegetable tanned product can last you a lifetime. Leather is a natural material and I believe in using it as such. I have a great respect for the materials I use and want to make sure that I make use for most of it. Rebel Leather designs are crafted to minimize the cutting leftovers. Every hide tells a story of an animal’s life. Rather than hiding or cutting off its scars and wrinkles, I see these small variations as a unique characteristic and not as a flaw – and I encourage customers to do the same.