A Florentine story.

It’s really hard to fully express what it means to OKV to have the opportunity to produce leather goods in Florence, Italy.  You really have to see and observe how much time, experience and care that’s involved in the making of leather and leather products in this beautiful city.  Not only the time spent making something, but also the years spent acquiring and mastering the skills to do so. This short film was made with the sole purpose of trying to transfer the inspiration that we were able to experience to you, through a visual narrative.  You could literally feel the emotion exuding from the craftsmen as they spoke of their work so passionately. It was infectious.

It quickly became evident to us that it wasn’t about the monetary value of what they were making, but about the sentiment and story behind it. It’s a big part of their lives. For many of the craftsmen, there are fond memories in time attached to the craft- skills being passed down through generations by fathers and grandfathers.  Each product would have the presence of the person who crafted it, and the fathers who helped teach them how: a piece of their life’s work.

Florence is the kind of place that constantly inspires you; a city that’s filled with art and ancient architecture – It reminds you of all the beautiful things that exist in our lives.  It’s heritage and tradition in leather and leather craft is deeply rooted and undeniable. How could we not want our brand to have and be a part of something so special? We wanted that heritage that Florence guarded so closely to become the very essence of who we are as a brand.  It’s said that if you want to be great at something, it requires a certain obsession. We shared that commonality; in Italy they’re obsessed with achieving the best quality product possible, and so are we.