Chances are, you have never heard of Tanner Krolle. They are a small leather goods business that started in 1856 specialising in discreet bespoke leather goods for discerning clients.
Their clientele span multiple royal families to the who's who of A list celebrities.
A few years back they fell off the face of the earth and nobody knew where they had gone. Their website had a home page with a contact form, but that was it.
Not officially taking orders, but not closed for business either.
Recently someone has re-launched the brand with full force, offering a number of classically designed, yet understated leather bags and cases.
What's odd though is the lack of 'Made In England' pride that they were known for. Nowhere does it state that their products are British made. The silence is deafening.
Similarly, Smythson of London no longer rely on the UK Simpson factory (now dissolved) to produce their goods, but rather a factory in Spain according a friend of mine who was a craftsman there.
I wouldn't be surprised if that's where this pillar of British craftsmanship is now produced as well.
Their designs are nice, but for a similar price the English made Dunhill 'Duke' range is simply unbeatable.
I've always been a huge fan of Tanner Krolle, and I had the privilege of repairing 2 or 3 pieces of their luggage over the years. I can attest to the quality of their former work.
But it's obvious that someone has bought the rights to the TK name, found an offshore factory willing to produce to their designs, then proceeded to leverage that sweet non-tangible asset we call heritage.
What do you think of their range?
https://www.instagram.com/tannerkrolle/
https://www.tannerkrolle.com/
I have to say, if you put aside the fact that it is obviously quickly/economically made, their Soft Trunk Backpack idea is really good. Love it.
I honestly think they have interresting designs like their clochette too.
But that's about it. From the company they hired to do their photography (I mean, for f$%^'s sake, show me the full interior of your bifolds...), to the company they hired to do their website (It is a mobile ONLY wesbite... doesnt really work on a pc), to the company who is making their products. It is obvious that wether there is a new owner or not, the company took a new direction.
Regarding the no rivet corners, I have decided that there is a rivet installed underneath the top folding piece (The one with the logo). Theoratically, a rivet could be installed when joining the left and right pieces together and then have the logo piece folded on it to hide it.
Another decision I made is that they could also have a 1mm piece of metal frame on which they molded the leather. And that metal frame has a rod welded on that is secured from inside the case.
If they somehow just glued this piece, then I want to die...
@Leathercraft Masterclass concerning you and Dixon there could have been the option to be transparent and say what your goals are. Then the name would not only be for pretending something but to set a expectation / goal and a statement that you want to 'rescue' the brand. I dont know if I could make my point here as English is not my language. I guess you would have done something very special with your pricking iron company....not as cheesy as the Barnsleys today😂
@kilian I agree on all points. Back in the day they produced some wonderful pieces, almost to the level of Finnigans (long gone).
When I see a brand revived by a person or persons who obviously don't have a connection to the previous business or brand philosophy, I tend to see their products as a 'legal fake'. You just can't buy heritage.
At one point I was considering buying the rights to the J Dixon name and having a UK company produce pricking irons to my design. But I know nothing of the people and the culture of that brand. It ain't my story to tell.
This is the picture you see when opening the menu on their website. I think for a luxury item I would expect the logo to be clean and sharp. And for selecting a picture for the website I would make sure its a clean logo. Or am I very picky now? Sorry if I am negative, i had no sleep. I am curious what others think about their style and how important a logo is on the finished item
I dont want to say something bad - I am just not a big fan of the style, but this is just my taste. Part of the style is the missing crease lines and that quite thick pop-off corner with rolled edges along with flat handles. Everything is very clean but there is a bit of details missing, no special handle, in fact the same handle my cheap laptopbag has - maybe thats why i am biased. If I had a company with long tradition I would make something that incorporates that in the design somehow. But maybe they did, I dont really know Tanner Krolle so much, just saw a few items from Online Auctions in the past.