Jonathan Wieme

Master of a forgotten craft

• Jonathan creates handmade leather trunks, boxes and cases
• He is attracted by minimal, futuristic shapes
• His first creation was a bespoke watch box

Jonathan Wieme was working in the advertising industry when he realised that he wanted to work with his hands. With leather artisan Nina Bodenhorst as his master, he developed his own personality, style and form of expression. Together they founded their company Niyona, and after travelling to Paris and Tokyo several times to learn specific aspects of leathercraft, Jonathan specialised in the time-honoured art of trunkmaking, which he now develops under the signature brand Bodenhorst. “We work the old way, without machines and by stitching everything by hand,” Jonathan says. To create his trunks from start to finish he must master many skills including woodworking, metalworking, saddlery and traditional leatherworking.

Interview

©All rights reserved

©All rights reserved

When did you decide to take up this craft?

It happened one day in 2015, when we went to the Louis Vuitton exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris. I was blown away by the vintage trunks I saw. I knew in that moment that I wanted to make trunks like these and hand them to their new owners.

What do you love most about making trunks?

This is a forgotten, almost lost craft, due to the evolution of the industry and changes in public demand. But, for me, digging into the origins of the craft and trying to master forgotten techniques is a challenge I love. And my challenge is also to bring a new, modern vision to the craft.

Does your craft feel linked to Belgium in any way?

I don’t want to be linked to a specific place. Each trunk is handmade from the ground up, one by one, stitch after stitch. By respecting the ethical values of our craft and the sustainability of our materials we manage to offer remarkable trunks, which are 'handmade on Earth'.

When is an object well made?

Time is our most precious luxury, which we need to cherish and try to convey to our customers. You can live fast, but we will always need to craft slowly, taking time at every step in the process. But only looking back after many years can you judge if something is well made or not.

Jonathan Wieme is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2010

Works

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©Bodenhorst

©Bodenhorst

©Bodenhorst

©Bodenhorst

Where