At the PS pop-up that runs from April 23-25, we will have a new product as our guest of the event: Awling Belts.
Awling has been around for a few years, but has grown in popularity recently due to the fact that it started selling wholesale to different stores around the world. We first met them at Pitti last January.
Awling, I think it’s fair to say, also took some time to find their style. They started with plain, standard designs, but evolved into something very different. This is most evident in their buckets, where the design process begins. The most popular is the Pilsbury (£165): a two-sided oval that twists at both ends to make room for a prong (below).
“Everything we do now is unusual but subtle,” said founder, Chris Goldstraw. “We are working on a new model at the moment, for example, which is plaque-style but handcrafted to give it a natural feel.”
Belts and belts are made in England, and they have that British look to belts in particular, which is a flat piece of thick leather. That is very different from the usual, European style which is made of two pieces of fine leather, with a raised section in the middle and a deep seam on both sides.
This style, sometimes called ‘loaded and raised’ is so universal that it doesn’t sound like a style at all, but British belts are traditionally strong and rare – they usually use bridle leather, a fat cowhide that (as the name suggests) comes from the horse’s head and is primarily designed for strength.
(A person who likesTim HardyWorcestershire is a good example, thoughMacGregor & Michaelon the bespoke side.)
“When we went around the UK looking for manufacturers, there were lots of small businesses making belts like this – usually one man and a shed,” says Chris. “It was difficult to find someone on the scale, but finally we found a great manufacturer with the help of Adam who founded the Cherchbi brand bag.”
Churchbiblast from the past – the last time we put them on PS wasin 2012– but apparently they still exist. Adam no longer uses this brand.
Chris started making bridle-like straps – wide and hollow – out of just Italian leather. But over time he switched to smaller and more unusual styles, with a cut edge and flat look, but with interesting straps likeRowarth(£175, below), which is sort of the British version of the western belt.
“That’s been the hardest thing to be honest, finding our beauty, but we’re really happy where we are now, it’s made us focus more on new things,” said Chris.
It was fun trying out the style with my clothes. I got itParwich(£175) in bronze on pebbled black leather a few months ago, and I’ve been trying it on ever since.
Most of the time I wear that ‘striped and raised’ European belt style, even with casual clothes. They are theremore from Rubatoone inch wide, and I love how the belt adds a smart touch to the t-shirt and jeans. When I travel normally it is usually awoven leatheror western style fromSilver Ostrich.
I found the Parwich to be actually more subtle and therefore more my style than the Silver Ostrich – and a great alternative to woven leather or suede. It has more heft than calf leather, but is still more discreet than regular belts. The color range is well suited to modern tonal ways of dressing.
Belts are a difficult category to break into – everyone sells them, from department stores to shoe stores – and it’s hard to have a point of difference without being very unusual.
It seems that Awling did a good job, probably because of Chris’s level of taste. His day job is still an architectural photographer, and he has long had a passion for menswear alongside architecture and photography.
“I always wore well-made clothes when I was young,” she says.
“I think a lot of that carries over to the belts we’re making now – we aim for two new designs a year, something like that, and those ideas of style and subtle quality come out of everything.”
Chris will have his new developments this year – the aforementioned plaque and a 25mm miniature model – on display at the pop-ups. They won’t go on sale until August.
In terms of sourcing, his customers are wholesalersTailors SaveSan Francisco,Newton JamesKansas City,Mr. Habitsin Taipei againTWCin London. Adam at TWC only has a few styles, but he’s looking to expand that. Full range is openAwling.com.
I’m looking forward to having Chris at the pop-up, and seeing everyone there. All details – like other events and – onPS events page.
awling.com
For a general guide to belt styles and designs, seePS capsule guide.