Tanned

How did your interest in leather crafting start?
I love timeless vintage items that have history, so I used to collect leather goods. I then took up an apprenticeship at a leather studio as a hobby but eventually became a full-time crafter under them.

Three years ago, I started my own leathercraft company, Devil’s Play Craft, with some friends and I’ve been on this career path ever since.

What do you like most about working with leather?
I’d say the most enjoyable part about leathercrafting is also the most challenging, and that’s designing the actual products. Anyone can learn how to make a wallet, but my team always strives to be unconventional in our designs, which is not easy.

Tell us more about the leathers your team uses.
Our leathers are sourced both locally and internationally. In fact, most of our calf leathers are from around the world.

We like to use leather from exotic skins like crocodile skin, which is actually one of the most durable and expensive in the industry. Our crocodile skins are sourced from a local tannery, Heng Long Leather, that’s owned by LVMH, so we use the same leather that big brands like Hermès and Louis Vuitton use as well.

Where do you see Devil’s Play Craft in the next five years?
We’re a very small team of three crafters, a content creator, and my girlfriend who does marketing for us, so we’re trying to expand the team.

In five years, I also hope to open a physical store overseas and expand the name of our brand. People always look for Italian-made or Japanese-made products—local leather crafters are not very well-known yet. We strive to be a locally-made leathercraft company that Singapore can be proud of.

Being your own boss, is it hard to separate work and life?
It is quite tough since our company is very new, so we’re still grinding very hard from Mondays to Sundays. I think it’s important that I enjoy what I do too as it’s what drives our success in the business, so I find myself spending most of my time working instead of chilling and relaxing.

How do you like to spend your free time?
I like to exercise—jogging and lifting weights—just to unwind and destress.