“I didn’t want to design a bag on the computer and send it to a factory. I would never feel the leather, never touch the thread,” Blythe Leonard says. “I wanted to create every day. Do something different every day.” And so, one year after graduating from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2015, Leonard established her namesake, handmade leather goods company in Thomasville.
From the start, the workspace was extra special to Leonard: The building used to be a dyehouse, operated by her great-grandfather. Now, decades later, Leonard hopes to continue his legacy of creating jobs and championing American-made products.
All of her materials — from buttery leather to brass hardware — are sourced from the U.S., and all of her bags are one of a kind. One of Leonard’s favorite things about her craft, she says, is designing custom products: “From sketching to patterning to making, I love the process,” she says. “And giving it to the customer! And them falling in love. It’s just” — she pauses — “amazing.”
Blythe Leonard
606 Davidson Street
Thomasville, NC 27360
(336) 687-5366
blytheleonard.com
Mark our words: Whether they nod to North Carolina or were penned by its residents, these notable, quotable passages remind us of the power of speech inspired by our state.
When one stream flows into another, the two chart a new course for the future — together.
When the weather outside is frightful, one chef serves loved ones dishes so delightful.
A historic Rose Bowl pitted Duke University against Oregon State in Durham. Then, in the dark days of World War II, those same football players — and a legendary coach — joined forces to fight for freedom.
