The Most Giftable Dallas Brand Lands in NorthPark Just In Time for the Holidays — Inside Leatherology’s First Retail Store
SWOON, the Studio Brings the Online Brand to Beautiful Brick-and-Mortar Life
BY Caitlin Clark // 10.28.21
Dallas brand Leatherology opens its brick-and-mortar pop-up in NorthPark Center through February 2022. (Photo by Justin Clemons)
The success of Dallas-based Leatherology, a luxury accessories brand from siblings Rae and David Liu, is a testament to straightforward products thoughtfully made. Their timeless wallets, dopp kits, duffle bags, and full-grain leather totes have earned the brand fans like Serena Williams, Jonathan Van Ness, and Rachel Zoe, along with shout outs from Condé Nast Traveler and The New York Times. Still, most people probably learn about Leatherology when they’re gifted it. Now, however, that discovery can happen in one of the top five performing shopping centers in the U.S.: NorthPark Center.
Beginning today, October 28, Leatherology is expanding into retail with their first store, brought to chic life with the help of Dallas-based SWOON, the Studio (the design firm behind much of The Adolphus and Hotel Emeline in Charleston). Open through February 2022, the NorthPark store will offer a go-to gifting destination (and on-site monogramming) through all the major holidays — though there is hope for something more permanent in the future.
To celebrate the space, we spoke with Rae and David to learn more about the surreal experience of opening a shop in your hometown, and the Leatherology pieces they expect will be most coveted this holiday season.
As a digital-first brand, what excites you most about a brick-and-mortar space?
David Liu: First, we are so proud to be opening in our hometown. It is a bit surreal as both Rae and I grew up going to NorthPark. We are looking forward to meeting new customers and loyal fans alike. We can’t wait for Dallas to experience Leatherology in a more personal way. We’re excited for customers to see the quality of our products firsthand and the care and craftsmanship that go into our personalization process.
It’s always exciting when SWOON, the Studio designs a retail space. What was the collaboration process like with them to bring Leatherology to life?
Leatherology: It was exactly that, a collaboration. We could not have asked for a better partner throughout this process. They are creative geniuses! SWOON truly understands the DNA of the Leatherology brand and was instrumental in helping us realize this vision.
With so many e-commerce brands embracing brick-and-mortar, are there any plans for a more permanent Dallas store in the future?
Leatherology: As we continue to grow, our aspirations definitely extend beyond our direct-to-consumer, e-commerce roots. We would love to have a permanent store in Dallas in the future. It’s our hometown after all!
Elizabeth Anthony
Leatherology is such a great go-to gift source. Last year you named the slim wallet and top handle train case as the gifts you thought people would go for. Any thoughts on what will be hot this year?
Leatherology: Our Medium Train Case has been so popular since we launched it last year that we decided to introduce a new size, the XL Train Case. That item is one of our top picks this year as well as classic styles like our Kessler Duffle Bag and our Meadow Double Zip Crossbody. In terms of personalization, we’re very excited about our new made-to-order Trapunto monogramming option, which is available in a variety of bag styles.
