ABOUT

Hadston Leather

I fell in love with how things are made after learning the traditional leatherworking skills from a master saddler in Cumbria.  The stories that well-made pieces have and what that says about the people who make them. 

I followed that passion and learned more... bridlework and box and case making, learning to cut, edge and stitch leather by hand. 

Honestly, watching these craftspeople work changed everything for me. The level of care, the attention to detail, the intent behind every single stitch.  It wasn’t just about making something functional, it was about making something that lasted, that mattered. 

That’s what stuck with me.  That’s what I bring to every repair I do now. 

I don’t fix things to make them look brand new, I fix them to keep them working, to add life back to pieces that have already proven they’re worth it.  There’s something deeply satisfying about taking a bag someone’s carried for a decade and giving it another chapter.  Especially for clients who have a mutal respect for quality and, for the idea that not everything should be disposable. 

Before Hadston Repairs started…

Before all of this, I studied fashion.  Worked in the industry for a few years, then left to do something completely different.  I kept making things in my spare time, I couldn’t stop.  In 2017, I got the chance to go all in and Hadston Leather was born.  It’s an amalgamation of everything I've done, everything I’ve learned and everything I care about. 

Today repair and alterations are at the core of what I do.

I also love working with brands and businesses' that share the same values.  I’ve partnered with Blackhorse Lane Ateliers in London having had my work stocked in their Coal Drops Yard store and online. 

Where the Hadston name comes from…

The name Hadston comes from a village in Northumberland, the county where I’m from.  Every item I made was named after a place there.  Small detail, but it matters to me. 

And finally…

Not everything deserves to be repaired but the things that do are the things people actually use, rely on, and care about. 

I see myself as a custodian of these pieces.  Keeping well-made things worth keeping, adding years to them and the stories they go on to tell. 

Alison