It would probably be true to say that owning a classy handbag is on the wish list of most women. But if you are someone who pines for Prada or swoons over Stella McCartney, then you should check out Conor Holden’s creations, which, as he says himself, “are just waiting to be discovered”.

Located in an old schoolhouse and within touching distance of the waters of Dingle Bay, Holden Leather Goods is an Aladdin’s cave of the finest leather and suedes in a rainbow of colours and finishes.

“We work with five Italian tanneries who produce the most wonderful skins. We have the classic leathers and suedes along with animal prints and belt leathers. They arrive here as shoulders, butts, sides or whole skins and we cut to pattern,” says Conor, who established the business in Dingle in 1989.

Conor says it takes time coming up with a new handbag design. It starts out as a paper pattern and the making of a prototype. If they like it, then it goes to production. Then the prototype will be either tweaked or abandoned depending on customer reaction. The paper pattern becomes a cardboard pattern and if the product is really successful it goes for hand cutting on a cutting press.

“Over the years, I’ve developed a fair eye for what will sell. A finished handbag is very much a handmade product that will take a good four to 10 hours to complete – and a lot longer if you are inexperienced,” he says.

New beginnings

When it comes to careers, Conor started his in a sector as far away from designing and producing leather goods as you could get.

After a stint in Dublin in the mid-1980s, he moved to London where he worked for the inner London education authority assessing college grant applications.

“I knew it wasn’t a forever job and then I got an application from a student for a leather goods course, I checked it out and it really appealed to me. So after saving like mad, I gave up my job the following year and started the course myself.”

Conor was a regular visitor to Dingle and that’s where he established the business, moving into the old school house in 1993. With few people making leather goods in the country, it was a case of learning on the job for Conor.

Apart from the signature handbags, Conor and his team also design and make personal leather goods such as wallets, diaries and belts along with travel bags, briefcases and iPad and laptop satchels.

Wherever he goes, Conor finds himself looking at handbags yet he admits to being totally perplexed by women’s passion for them.

“It’s buying into a lifestyle but in reality many of the big brands are made by the same factories. They could cost as little as €50 to make yet the customer is charged multiples of that.”

When it comes to styles, Conor’s customers like the classic colours of black, chestnut brown, dark brown and cherry leather. Bright seasonal colours sell well in summer as well as more daring colours such as orange and purple. Conor can do bespoke styles but they are expensive. He says it’s easier and less expensive to adapt existing bags by type of colour, pattern and finish.

Troubled times

While business has generally been good, Conor will never forget 2008 for all the wrong reasons.

“It was the start of the recession and it was a horrendous year. The banks withdrew our credit facilities and shops cancelled their orders. We had all the leather bought and paid for and no one to sell it to,” he explains.

“We had no choice but to downsize to one and a half people and, to be honest, keeping the business going was a close call. Thankfully things have picked up a lot and between the shop in Dingle and the workshop we now are back to nine staff. The website is starting to grow again and we are coming to the point where we will start supplying selected shops again.”

Conor also runs handbag making courses for groups of no more than six people. The courses last for five days and cost €800 but the great news is that you come out with a fully finished handbag.

“Our workshop is not on a main street, we are down a tiny side road in a lovely location. We like to think that the people who find us, never forget us,” he says.

And he never said a truer word. CL

For more, check out www.holdenleathergoods.com or call 066-9151796 or visit the Holden Leather Goods shop in Dingle