Celebrating leather

6 June 2006




Exciting new attractions and sponsors are lining up for the second Festival of Leather, being held at Capel Manor College, Enfield, UK on July 1-2, 2006. Joining the festival for the first time this year will be the Chariots of Fire Display Team from Lockerbie in Scotland. The team will perform an exhilarating arena display featuring extraordinary carriage driving stunts with people, ponies and a cow called Quinn! Chariots of Fire will be at the Festival of Leather on both days of the weekend. Another great coup for the Festival of Leather is the attendance of the Great English Outdoors Company from Hay-on-Wye in Herefordshire. As well as showcasing a unique range of antique and modern leathergoods and a huge selection of Welsh blankets, the company is also one of the few in the world to work with leather from the Metta Catharina ship. The Danish brigantine, the Metta Catharina, sank off the coast of Cornwall in 1786 with a cargo of reindeer hides which were preserved in mud. Athene English from Great English Outdoors will be on hand at the Festival to talk about the Metta Catharina leather. Visitors will be able to see and buy the products which she creates with it. Taking centre stage will be one of the UK's largest suppliers of high quality leather and suede designs and fashion, Wallace Sacks. The company will be creating the Festival's first ever 'Leather Room', as well as hosting a 'Make Your Own Bag' attraction which will allow visitors to sew together and take home their own unique bag or accessory from the leather templates made by Capel Manor students. The Leather Room, furnished almost entirely from leather, will feature pieces from the Wallace Sacks' Spring range, including leather, suede and goatskin and will show different effects, finishes and designs. The 'Leather Library' is being created for the Festival of Leather by Pittards, leading leather suppliers to the world's leading brands of gloves, shoes, luxury leathergoods and sports equipment. Visitors will be able to see, feel and smell the differences between many different leather types used in the manufacture of all kinds of products. Leading leather designers such as Lulu Guinness, Patrick Cox, Bill Amberg and Karl Donoghue will be showcasing their finest products of the 2006 season in the prestigious 'Festival of Leather Best of the Best' attraction. Visitors will be able to see displays of the finest branded leather items in a range of categories from bags, shoes, clothing to small leather goods. If you've ever wondered how to repair your favourite leather chair or in fact find out if your leather bag is really made from leather at all, the Festival of Leather is the place to come for advice. There will be two separate teams of leathercare experts, Leather Wise and LTT Solutions, who will be on hand to offer advice and answer any individual questions on leather and its care. The Festival of Leather promises to be an interesting and fun day out for everyone. Attractions include competitions between the UK's saddlery and fashion design schools, with generous awards being provided by City & Guilds and the Worshipful Company of Curriers and Saddlers. Living history will also be provided by The Tudor Group, Regia Anglorum and Plantagenet Shoes.



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