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If you have ever wondered why leather goods are often both expensive and unimpressive, you are not alone. After decades refining our skills, in 2008, we at Parabellum began this journey with the goal of solving that very issue. At the core of the problem is the concept of building product for the existing network of distribution, which requires inexpensive materials, cheap manufacturing, large factories, designs that mimic successful items from other brands, constant changing of styles and huge designer and retail markups to account for the tremendous waste along the way. But, what we as customers wanted was the exact opposite; valuable materials, quality craftsmanship, originality, unique design, timeless style and reasonable prices. In short, we wanted real value, but all that we found were slickly marketed throwaways.

In 2008, the North American Bison herd was in the early stages of a massive comeback, with Bison meat as the financial driver. Most hides were treated as an afterthought, and many were used as fertilizer. We found this to be a sacrilege on many different levels. 150 years ago, these very same hides were highly prized throughout the world for the quality leather goods that could be made from them. We built a supply chain to source the most beautiful, deeply textured hides, to tan them domestically using an ecologically responsible method, and to build forever quality goods by hand in California.

Our first item, the Peacemaker Belt, made with two pieces of our deepest texture Bison stitched together, hand painted edges, a solid Ceramic Buckle and Kevlar reinforcements caught the eye of magazines, stores and discerning customers all over the world. While we are not particularly fond of braggadocio, we do believe it to be the finest every day belt in the world. And 9 years of satisfied customers agree with that statement.

In addition to our belts, we make an array wallets, sleeves, cases, handbags and work bags for both men and women. We make every one of these items by hand, using the same materials and a repeating design aesthetic, and every one is built with care to last a lifetime and to get better with use and age. To this day, we have not had a single item returned to us for a stitching defect or seam failure. Bison leather is thick and soft, so a tremendous amount of skilled labor goes into the thinning, backings and edge work that make our items so unique, refined and durable.

In addition to our everyday accessories, we use our finest Bison hides to produce an increasing array of sofas, custom furniture, interior design installations and automotive interiors. If you have a custom project in mind, whether it is a brand new item or the Bison reupholstery of something that already exists, don’t be shy about reaching out for a quote.

We are humbled by all of the accolades and support that we have had along the way, from being named finalists in the CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund Award, to write-ups in prestigious publications, to having some of the finest boutiques in the world like Colette, Maxfield, Union and Bergdorf Goodman stock our goods. But, above it all, we are most interested in connecting with you, our loyal customers, and providing you with exceptional leather goods that will last you a lifetime.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

 

 

 

Somewhere along our journey, we found and fell in love with The American Prairie Reserve, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and rehabilitation of prairie habitat and species. They are building the largest park in the continental United States on the Great Plains of northeastern Montana,  and it will be home to the largest protected Bison herd. Follow this link to find out more about their essential ecological endeavor.

visit American Prairie Reserve