With a clear vision to craft stylish, distinctive leather travel goods that stand apart from the typical run-of-the-mill bags and briefcases, founder and managing director Marco Feelisch — together with co-founders Georg Wolff and Jena Bautmans — launched Buckle & Seam. The brand channels a refined yet vintage aesthetic across a range of products that includes laptop sleeves, weekenders, duffels, satchels, messenger bags and business briefcases. We met Feelisch at Heathrow (LHR) to learn more about the company and its approach.
Global Traveler: Your products feel more substantial, with a slightly heavier profile than many luxury leather goods.
Feelisch: We select our leather carefully from northern Pakistan and use premium cowhide in its most natural form: full-grain leather. That means all layers of the hide are preserved, including the natural markings and scars many luxury brands remove by sanding away the top layers. We also apply a “crazy horse” finish that enhances the leather’s natural character. The combination of this finishing method and the leather’s thickness gives our bags a more robust, weighty feel compared with many items in the luxury market.
GT: How do you avoid the harmful chemicals commonly used in tanning?
Sierra Messenger Bag
Feelisch: Much of the world’s leather is processed with harmful substances such as chromium VI, lead and other environmentally damaging chemicals. We instead use vegetable tanning, a slower process that relies on natural tannins and experienced tanners. Although it takes more time and expertise, vegetable tanning is a more natural, sustainable method that avoids those harsh chemicals.
GT: Buckle & Seam pieces have a cool, vintage vibe. Was that intentional?
Feelisch: Absolutely. We were tired of the endless stream of dull black bags you see everywhere. Even right here at Heathrow there are so many. Our goal was to design a brand that feels superior yet classic, fashionable yet distinctive, and luxurious yet accessible. With our vintage styling and a range of interior linings, we position Buckle & Seam as the stylish alternative within the vintage-inspired segment.
GT: Where are you traveling next, and which Buckle & Seam items will you bring?
Feelisch: For our new winter season video, we traveled to the Austrian mountains carrying the Linwood Weekender, the Willow Duffle and the Sierra Messenger Bag — all great companions for a short trip or a weekend adventure.
GT: What’s new in the collection this year?
Feelisch: Based on strong feedback from customers, we’re developing new business bag models, introducing small travel and everyday accessories, and adding a new leather type to our lineup alongside our signature crazy horse brown finish. These additions build on our commitment to quality, timeless design and more sustainable production methods.