PETALING JAYA, May 10 — Drop by AweGallery today and Saturday to meet Terance Chen, the craftsman behind leather goods brand Utile.

The five-year-old brand prioritises design and functionality versus just aesthetics. Utile is about fine workmanship, attention to detail with hand stitching and the best materials sourced from world-renowned tanneries. All the leather sourced is made ethically as per Chen's ethos.

This has made it a favourite of those in the know; fans seek him out for bespoke commissions. One unusual project was for McDonalds Singapore: A one-of-a-kind recreation of their iconic brown take-out bag in leather! 

You can pick up a cardholder from Utile's Diffusion Range that is made from leather sourced from a renowned third-generation Italian tannery.
You can pick up a cardholder from Utile's Diffusion Range that is made from leather sourced from a renowned third-generation Italian tannery.

Chen, who is an IT graduate, left his career in an MNC to pursue this passion. The love for this craft started from collecting designer outfits.

He added, "It was actually more towards the materials." As he researched more, he was pulled towards leather and even fabric.

That fascination led to him providing a shoe polishing service at Narrow Marrow, a cafe in George Town. Mainly catering to friends under the nifty name Terance O'Shine, the service took off as it showed many how to appreciate good leather.

Interestingly, when he was down to his last RM500, he started Utile. Its name is French for "to use." It also sounds like "futile" which means useless, but is the opposite of what the brand pushes to be.

Starting from a leather belt, Chen has built up the brand to include leather chairs, bags, wallets, card holders and even pants. Most of these are commission pieces.

Bespoke creations like this leather chair will be on display.
Bespoke creations like this leather chair will be on display.

"The idea is to do something useful and not just a simple design that doesn't serve any purpose," explained Chen.

The functionalism stems from architecture where "people no longer want ornaments but prefer straight-in-the-face usefulness."

Chen also works with aged and oxidised materials, dabbling with techniques to destress it.

At AweGallery, Chen will share his knowledge about what makes a good piece of leather through demonstrations. This will deepen your appreciation for all your leather goods.

A one-of-a-kind McDonalds take-out brown bag, fashioned in leather, was made on commission from McDonalds Singapore.
A one-of-a-kind McDonalds take-out brown bag, fashioned in leather, was made on commission from McDonalds Singapore.

He likens taking care of leather to taking care of your own skin. His journey to being a leather artisan will be an inspiration for those who are considering pursuing this as a hobby or full-time career.

The session is not 100 per cent about leather as Chen will also teach  you to explore French linen, a material that fits to your body with time and usage. Currently, he is also experimenting with parchment leather. 

You can also purchase a card holder from his Diffusion Range, a special version to commemorate this event.

Each piece crafted by Utile has its date placed on it.
Each piece crafted by Utile has its date placed on it.

The Diffusion Range uses high quality leather usually sourced by designer houses, like a third-generation tannery in Italy that markets it under the brand, Italy Pelle Conciata al Vegetale in Toscana.

Fashioned into functional pieces, Chen believes in making this available to the public, at the fraction of the price to allow them to understand more about good leather.

Each piece also comes with instructions on how to care for and extend its product life. Chen added, "I believe in spoiling my clients by giving them something that won't spoil."

Using one piece of leather, Chan has crafted a bag from it with minimal wastage.
Using one piece of leather, Chan has crafted a bag from it with minimal wastage.

In the Klang Valley, ilaika is the sole distributor of Utile's products which includes this super soft flea leather pouch made from Shinki Hikaku vegetable tanned horse hide.
In the Klang Valley, ilaika is the sole distributor of Utile's products which includes this super soft flea leather pouch made from Shinki Hikaku vegetable tanned horse hide.

Utile's products will be carried by ilaika, their sole distributor in the Klang Valley. Here, you can find a soft flea leather pouch made from Shinki Hikaku vegetable tanned horse hide. Just smell it and fall in love with artisan made leather... crafted with lots of care.

The sharing session with Utile by Terance Chen is part of AweGallery's "Meet the Makers" session. Visit AweGallery at No 21, Jalan 20/13, Taman Paramount, Petaling Jaya from 2pm to 9pm (May 10 and 11 only). For more on Utile, visit https://www.facebook.com/Utile.Works/