Today we’d like to introduce you to Cody Amos.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Cody. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Since my childhood, I’ve been an artist and maker but have also always had another side that was more of an engineer. I was curious about how things were made. My mother has always told me I used to take things apart and put them back together just see how they worked. My first experience working with leather came from my father who was a cabinet maker and a woodworker. He bought me some materials to make dream catchers and I loved it. Dream catchers would soon lose there appeal. It would be a long time before I worked with leather again.
After getting a BFA in Graphic Design from The Art Institute of Dallas, I landed a job at a local leather accessories company that produced belts, bags and small leather goods for several major brands. It was a great place to work that allowed me to use a wide variety of skills as a graphic designer. I was doing to everything from product photography to packaging design, and showroom design. It was in this corporate setting that I first realized I could
combine my design engineering skills with my hand skills to make a living. It was here I was introduced to product design and development and realized that this is what I wanted to do. This was a role where I could design and produce something tangible. So, I started taking on projects on the side for one of the belt designers until a position became available. I was accepted for the position as the new belt and small leather goods designer. I was designing belts and wallets for several top brands in the industry. One of the frustrating things about being a designer was waiting weeks for samples to arrive from the factory. I decided to buy some basic leatherworking tools so I could mock-up details and make rapid prototypes of my designs. I never imagined what that decision would lead to later. I continued to make samples on my own and even got to spend time in a sample making factory in Mexico. My love for leather craft was growing quickly. I was also selling a few belts on the side. Mostly custom orders from friends and family. An opportunity to join Fossil as their belt designer came up and I had to take it. I took the position almost six years ago.
While design belts for Fossil and using my leather crafting skills to make rapid prototypes and samples, a new engineering team was being formed. That is when I met my soon to be mentor. A handbag engineer with over 30 years of experience working for the top companies in the industry. I finally found my mentor. Fossil recognized with my leathercraft skill and design background, I would fit perfectly on the new engineering team. I jumped at the opportunity. This would be no walk in the park. My mentor was a true master and had extremely high standards and expectations. He spent the first month telling me I was holding the knife wrong and would get on to me if a cut was a millimeter off. Compliments were few and far between. I knew nothing and still know nothing compared to him. Alongside a master pattern maker, our three-man team would make handbag samples for both the men’s and women’s leather team. I was mostly responsible for cutting and gluing pieces of the bags. After a while, I was allowed to start sewing the bag samples and was learning skills from two masters. There were times that would prove to be extremely challenging and make me want to quit. I wouldn’t trade those times for the world because it was in those times that sharpened my skills to what they are today. It was the way his mentors taught him and I was his protege. I was fortunate enough to continue this paid education for almost a year before I was transferred to another team. I will forever be grateful for the time I spent under the mentorship of those two men. I continue to have a great relationship with the engineers and seek there advise almost daily.
After taking a break from leather crafting and engineering for a while to focus on my new role, I started to get the itch again to create product. I started making a few personal bags that have led to custom orders. I had the overwhelming feeling that If I wasn’t making bags, I was waisting the education I was so fortunate to receive. I decided to start my own business making one of a kind and limited run handbags. After spending months designing my logo and branding, Amos Leather Goods was born.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The decision to start my handbag company was probably with most difficult part of this whole journey. When it was just my job or a hobby there was no added pressure to succeed. I have heard several stories about people who decided to turn their hobby into a business and suddenly lost the passion that led to starting it in the first place. I don’t believe this will be the case for me. When I am working on a project, everything else disappears and there is only the work. I love the work and look forward to it every day. I expect to have challenges along the way just as any successful business has but, I know it is in these moments of struggle that we grow. It is in these moments we often look back on as our fondest memories.
Please tell us about Amos Leather Goods.
Amos Leather Goods Focuses on one of a kind high-quality leather bags. Each bag is designed and handcrafted by me so that every bag is unique. Even with limited-run bags each vary slightly. Most of my work is has been custom and made to order although I plan to have keep a small inventory of product once I’m fully up and running. When someone sees and holds one of my bags for the first time, they usually say, “you can feel the quality”. I love hearing this because it is the quality I put first above all things. I always say, “quality over quantity”.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I could change anything, I wouldn’t have taken such a long break from leathercraft after leaving the engineering team. These skills require constant practice. I’ve often wondered how much further along I would be now had I not take that time off. But I don’t like to dwell on the past. I could spend my entire life working on this and still learn something new every day. My mentor told me he was still learning after 30 years of practice.
Contact Info:
- Email: amosleathergoods@gmail.com
- Instagram: @amosleathergoods
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