Driving down 35, it’s hard to imagine this land being filled with herds of bison that would stretch from horizon to horizon. It is difficult to imagine Oklahoma in its natural state as you drive by the endless signs for shopping centers and travel stops. But for millennia, spanning all the way back to the Clovis peoples, these enormous herds were revered as the foundation to life itself. And after any successful hunt, with meat over the fire for preservation, the sound of scraping would fill the air as hides were worked into leather.
No matter where you look in the history books, leather has always been an essential component to society. Even today, when we get to enjoy the amazing luxuries of things such as electricity, air conditioning, and a Braum’s burger always within a short driving distance; leather is still a staple. From the premium trim options on those shiny new pickups to the bags that are bought as beloved anniversary gifts, leather has held its value despite fashion and utility changing over the centuries.
Maybe it is something primal that reconnects us to our roots or maybe its just the fact that nothing can replace the feeling of running your hand along fresh leather. Regardless, we are hooked. And when his job took Tyler Mckee down to Fort Worth, Texas, he found himself hooked too.
When Tyler first stepped into W Durable Goods in Fort Worth and was taken away with the craftsmanship that filled the space. “He just makes some incredible leather goods. Starting out, I would buy like small stuff. So it’d be, like a small wallet or maybe even a key chain. Just because at the time, his stuff was expensive to someone who doesn’t know the craft. So I was looking at this bag that’s $400, but whenever you grabbed ahold of it, and you felt like the handles and then the zipper, it just felt like such good quality.” That bag became the start to something bigger. As Tyler’s collection grew, so did his fascination with the craft.
When his job called him back to his home in Oklahoma City, he looked around for a similar store but couldn’t find the same style. After a quick search online, he found a kit on Amazon that would get him started. “I wanted to see if I could make something even relatively close to what (Daniel) makes. And I’m still a long ways away, but I just wanted to see if I could make something.”
Like any new hobby, there’s always that learning curve. And the only way to truly overcome it is with consistency. That new daily ritual of sitting down to work at his craft brought Tyler a new outlook on life.
“It’s a nice break because I’ll get in there and start. It just takes a lot of focus. It forces me to be present.”
That time behind the sewing machine created a new routine. Before going in to his sales job, Tyler would wake up early to get his projects in before starting the day. But he wasn’t in a rush to sell anything. In fact, it took him years before he even put his brand on any of his pieces. But after encouragement from his family and friends, Tyler attended his first popup.
“It was a seven hour day of selling nothing, and then towards the end of the day, this lady walks in and buys a mini carrier bag. It was the most expensive item there and I did not expect to sell any of them. But she just really liked it.” That first sale sparked new confidence in Tyler as he began looking for more opportunities to get in front of customers. And despite a day job selling electronics, something that might represent the opposite of leather in a lot of ways, all those years working retail helped prepare Tyler for launching Lost River Leather Goods. “I’ve been doing retail sales since I was 17 or 18. So the last 15 years really taught me how to talk with strangers, first of all, and just rapport fairly quickly.”
Electronics might feel like the polar opposite of leather goods, forcing us to break out our wallets with every model released. It feels like a departure from when buying a leather bag might be expected to last for generations. But Tyler refuses to see the two as all that different. In fact, the level of detail and innovation that goes into each new model of phones or laptops reminds him of the craftsmanship in the community he’s found through leather working.
“I made my first bag and I took it to KC at Traditions Leather Craft, and I asked what would he have done differently? At the time I thought it was the best thing ever, but he would show me little things that don't really look all that finished. He started pointing out little details, very kindly. There was a lot wrong with that bag and I can see it now.”
Whether it’s the simplicity of honing in on the perfect stitch or the precision that goes into stamping, leather work despite all its age still leaves plenty of room for innovation. Despite a history rooted in utility, for as long as leather has helped us survive, it has also helped us create and inspire with an artistic expression. That pursuit to improve the craft and finished product likely existed just as much during the times of the Clovis people as it does today. And that endless, timeless pursuit shows a connection to the craft that is rare to find in most of our trades.
“Success for me is just a byproduct of getting better at leather crafting. Just having something that you truly enjoy doing and that you can just pursue and get better at. It’s a really cool, fulfilling feeling.”
