Handmade Leather Smartphone Case Putting Fashion & Functionality On Your Hip!

Smartphone Case Or Pocket Only?

When I was growing up in Northern Virginia many years ago you could divide our neighborhood very neatly into Ford families or Chevy Families and never the twain should switch!  That split came to mind as we surveyed the market for what people wanted in a leather smartphone case.  We found there are people who wear a phone case on their hip and those that will only put that phone in their pocket...."no matter how big the damn thing gets!"  A very intriguing and definite split that left us wanting to learn more.

iPhone 6+ & iPhone 7+ Sized Phones Make The Pocket A Stretch!

If you're a pocket person, there's a good chance you've never thought too much about it other than allying with the old believe that wearing a phone case on your hip is "geeky."  We wanted to challenge that belief and started asking pocket advocates what might bring that hot phone out of their pants onto their side (careful now, we're serious about this :-) ).  What we learned beyond the initial bias is the following:

1 - pocket people would only consider a soft case, not the hard plastic models typically offered

2 - pocket people want easy access to get and replace their phone

3 - pocket people don't want a case that catches on stuff...like seatbelt buckles, etc.

We figured if we could compel a "pocket person" to switch to a hip case, we'd have a helluva new case option for those who already wear their phones on their hip.  

Embrazio's Leather Smartphone Case - The Sottile (here in distressed Cognac)

 The new handmade leather smartphone case from Embrazio, named the Sottile, actually has quite a history.  We started with a thicker leather case that had internal pocket sleeves but couldn't really decide upon a closure.  Stephanie tested different options on her usual field of battle, a jumping course at her barn.  First was a buckle but it required two hands.  That doesn't work too well when riding a horse or driving a car.  Next up were magnets but they popped open after any decent hit or jar so out they went.  Finally, we landed on the nipple rivet first created, we're told, as a closure for ammo pouches during WWI.  They work great!  Single handed secure retrieval and replacement of your phone without the need to even look down.  Look ma, no hands!

Now, Let's Address The Fashion Aspect Of A Leather SmartPhone Case

Once we had the closure problem solved we turned to the aesthetics of our emerging leather case.  Pocket People were pretty clear that they didn't want anything bulky so we did away with the pocket sleeves used in our original case.  To keep the phone secure and accommodate sizes from the iPhone 4/5 up through the 6 and 7+ phones, we added two elastic channels on the front of the case.  Our designer Dee came up with this solution and, in addition to the functional aspects, the channels serve to add interest and dimensionality to the face of the case.  Finally, we conducted an extensive search for the perfect leather that would be strong but soft and offer a rich leather luster that also would get better with age and wear.  Our favorite Italian run tannery in Leon, Mexico came through once again with a wonderful leather product just right for the construction of our case.

 

The Result:  A Fashionable & Functional Leather Smartphone Case To Get That Phone Out Of Your Pocket...Even The iPhone 6+ and iPhone 7+

 

  

 Artwork For Your Waist?  A Well Designed Leather Smartphone Case Is The Answer.

The early returns (we're sold a couple of dozen so far) are in and the Sottile handmade leather smartphone case is getting rave reviews.  I've been wearing the case shown herein for nearly three months now and just love it.  We've also gotten very positive feedback from early customers, several of whom swore their phone would never leave their pocket.  We're now offering the case in black and distressed cognac and look forward to adding more colors as we grow.  This whole journey has also re-enforced our belief that listening to the market and doing extensive prototyping and testing is the best way to develop a winning product.