A biker-style reinterpretation of vegetable-tanned leather. The first prize at the 2025 edition of Craft the Leather was awarded to young British designer Luca Greenway (pictured right), from Chelsea College of Arts in London. His collection Flat Tracker, which received the highest number of votes among the seven finalists, explores classic motorcycle culture through the material qualities of vegetable-tanned leather. “A contemporary re-reading of strong, durable and practical elements, where manufacturing tradition and design intent engage in a conscious balance between form, function and the intrinsic characteristics of the material”, explains a press release from the Consorzio Vera Pelle Italiana Conciata al Vegetale, which promotes the initiative.
The podium
The winner was determined through an evaluation system based on three independent rankings: the Technical Jury, votes from visitors to Lineapelle 107, and votes cast via social media channels. Greenway achieved the highest overall score by aggregating the results across the three rankings. Second place went to Nathalie Spielmann of Schola Academy in Florence, with the collection La Huella. Third place was awarded to Haydée Quesedo Castillo of the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
The 2025 edition of Craft the Leather
Craft the Leather is a training project promoted by the Consorzio Vera Pelle Italiana Conciata al Vegetale. Now in its twelfth edition, it is aimed at talented young designers and makers from around the world, who participate by invitation only. Schools — selected from among the most prestigious and innovative international fashion and design institutions with a strong culture of making — take part with a tutor and their most promising student. The 2025 edition unfolded in two phases: a spring training workshop in the Tuscan tanning district, followed in the second half of the year by the development of collections made exclusively using leather supplied by the tanneries affiliated with the Consortium (left, a group photo of the participants).
The winner
“Craft the Leather was a pivotal experience for me”, comments competition winner Luca Greenway. “I will fondly remember the opportunity to spend a week in an idyllic part of Italy, learning and working alongside like-minded people. Having never designed accessories before, the brief pushed me out of my comfort zone, allowing me to develop new skills in design and craftsmanship that I will apply in my future professional practice. I now have a deeper understanding of this extraordinary material and the many ways it can be worked”.
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