About

I’ve always had an interest in designing and building, and typically satisfied my inclinations through my extensive career in the energy industry where I designed and built new teams, functions, or businesses, here in Canada and abroad. Wanting to experience  a purer sense of design, I returned to school and began a formal Architecture program in 2021 through online learning, while also continuing to still work full time. It has been slow progress, but my learnings in Architecture have transitioned well into the world of fine leather goods. 

I first experienced working with leather during COVID, more of a exploration than anything else. As I began to appreciate the uniqueness of the medium and the possibilities, I began to explore how I could best improve my skills in this craft. Like any art, there are many avenues that one can pursue, and I gravitated towards learning more traditional European products and styles, while gaining an appreciation for Japanese aesthetics.

In 2024, the opportunity to step away from a corporate role and move from a large city back to a small town was presented. As my kids were now in post-secondary education, there was no reason we had to stay, so decided to pull up stakes and relocate to Fernie – a place we had begun establishing ties as far back as 2010. With the move came the initiative to begin a business on my own and a focus on fine leathercraft. That is the birth of Kodawari.