https://casabrutus.com

The Ojai Rancho Inn and Make Smith Leather Co. get some love from our new friends at Casa Brutus. Thank you for stopping by the workshop and the new little lobby shop collab space in Ojai, CA. 

LEATHERWORKING LEGACY – THIS IS UGG

Steven Soria was destined for leatherworking. Born into a family of saddle makers, he grew up playing with edge creasers, beveling tools, and leather scraps. Today he owns and operates Make Smith Leather Co. in downtown Santa Barbara, where he still works with (and learns from) his father. In honor of Father’s Day, we sat down with Steven to talk about how his dad has inspired his craft.

The beginnings of Make Smith…
My grandfather and his brother were saddle makers up until the late 1960’s. My dad grew up around the shop and eventually ended up taking over. By this time much of the world had changed, moving away from a need for saddles, so the leather shop became more of a repair shop for travel goods. Eventually my mom started working there, too. I was raised around the family business, so my play toys were tools and leather. I eventually went on to explore fine arts and integrated our family trade into my practice.

I officially started my business on September 6, 2013. That was the day that I opened my doors to the public and my current location in downtown Santa Barbara. I was already selling online and doing custom leatherwork, but I wanted more of a presence. It’s here that I created a collection of designed goods and opened a small shop branding it Make Smith.

Continue Reading >>>>>>>> 

Check out his awesome article the Sentiel wrote about Make Smith, Santa Barbara and some of best buds we've worked so closely with... Read More

https://issuu.com/santabarbarasentinel/docs/13_4_sntnl_full

Article curtsey of Santa Barbara Sentinel

Repost from the Antioch Odyssey Online: 

Tucked away behind Elsie’s (my favorite lounge in town), sits an unassuming little art studio. This art studio belongs to Steve Soria the designer and owner of Make Smith. Make Smith is a company that makes leather goods for men and women. This line includes wallets, belts, handbags, key chains, and products for the home. Each piece is handmade in Steve’s studio which also doubles as a showroom. Steve welcomed me into his studio space to sit down and chat about his ever growing business. As I walked into his cozy studio, I was amazed by how efficiently he set up his store. A big industrial sewing machine sits in the corner; while all of his tools are hung up against the wall. On the other side of the room, Steve has displayed all of his products ready for purchase. The Make Smith studio was so inviting that I could understand why Steve spends most of his time there.

Read more of this interview with ROSEMARY SCHWARTZ >>>>>> http://odyssey.antiochsb.edu/columnists/fashion-buzz-steve-soria/