Ladies shoulder bag clutch, green

Small underarm bags like these came into fashion in the 1920s, because ladies were now also traveling (alone) more often and needed an elegant little bag. However, the handy bag has only been called a clutch for a few years now. A characteristic feature of the clutch is that it is made without a shoulder strap. With its large flap, our model is more akin to the classic envelope bag anyway - so the strap is a welcome addition and allows the bag to be used as a small shoulder bag during the day or in the city if you only want to carry the essentials. The highlight here is a rubber band that keeps the flap closed.

Harold's makes this small handbag from very supple, green-colored lambskin leather. The outside of the body consists of two large leather blanks, which are folded over in the lower third, then overlocked and sewn together to create a beautiful surface on the outside without dividing seams. Inside, this design results in three unlined zippered compartments, one of which is concealed in the flap. The open-edged, adjustable leather strap in contrasting black is inserted into the body and neatly locked in place.

Fine leather craftsmanship is in the blood of the Schmelz family. They are behind the Harold’s brand and have been producing leather bags since 1936, now in its third generation. In the 1950s, the manufactory began cooperating with foreign partners, initially in Italy and later also in Colombia and India. This not only led to the relocation of parts of the production facilities abroad, but also to the brand name Harold’s, under which production was henceforth carried out. The designs are all created at the company's German headquarters near the Hessian metropolis of Frankfurt. The top priorities are well thought-out shapes and functionality, timeless design and, above all, first-class craftsmanship and natural, durable leather. This is the only way to achieve the declared aim of producing "bags for a lifetime". Production takes place primarily in Colombia and India - always taking local conditions into account - and since 2010 also in Obertshausen.

The successful cooperation with a small factory in Colombia has existed since 1985 and involves more than the usual: it is based on statutory employment contracts that offer the workers stable working conditions with security such as health, accident and pension insurance. The majority of employees have therefore been working in the company for more than 20 years and have the relevant specialist knowledge and many years of experience in leather processing. This is not a matter of course in South America's leather goods industry, which is characterized by migrant labor. Equally unusual are the extensive safety regulations, thanks to which the working environment comes close to European standards, for example in terms of acoustics, distances and cleanliness. The majority of the machines used for production also come from Europe. Most of the leather comes from cattle from Colombia, which are kept outdoors all year round, as is customary in South America; for the German site, it comes from Germany. After tanning, the leather surface still shows the natural grain with the traces of an animal's life, such as mosquito bites or small tears, and soon forms the patina typical of leather. Fabrics and metal parts are also produced in close proximity to the Colombian and German sites.