5 minute read
Service-Oriented
Service-Oriented
RED HARE LEATHER OFFERS INCLUSIVE LEATHER GOODS THAT GO BEYOND JUST KINK
By Sofia Mongillo
Artisan leatherworker Faye Woods is the owner, designer, and manufacturer of all things red Hare Leather. The queer-owned, local hand-stitched and hand-cut leather goods boutique is known largely for its unique and striking harnesses, as showcased at various events around Kansas City.
What started as a hobby has turned into a full-blown business catering to individuals of all shapes, sizes, genders, and identities. Now, they are set up in a makeshift workshop based in the basement of their Midtown home.
Woods embarked on their leather-making journey after a trip to Brooklyn, New York, where they came across your typical big-city overpriced knickknack. The item in question was a $45 keychain.
“I was just not going to buy a $45 keychain,” says Woods. “I took a bunch of pictures, came home, and made it myself. I really enjoyed that process. I started investigating more, and I think that my creative brain really just kind of fell in love with it.”
With a screenprinting and painting degree under their belt, Woods’ artistic abilities were already there. It was just a matter of taking on new, foreign media and materials.
“Later on, a friend asked me to make a chest harness for them,’” says Woods. “They wanted something they could wear over clothes that elicited a kind of sexy vibe. They showed me a picture of something online that would probably break right away, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I can do that.’ We took some measurements, and I made it for her. It was easy and fun. Then a couple of other people were like, ‘Hey, can you make me this?’”
Woods currently produces lines of wearables, accessories, home goods, and fetish gear. These items range from beer koozies to dog collars to human collars to wallets. While Woods can make usable, functional pieces for bondage and BDSM, they say it’s not necessarily always about kink.
“Really, I’m just trying to make people feel good in their bodies,” says Woods. “That’s why every piece I make is custom to that particular person’s body measurements that we’ve taken together. I don’t make small, medium, large, and extra large. I make it based on what that person’s body is, what they want, and how they want it to move on their body. All bodies are beautiful and different. It’s really about empowering people to feel sexier and strong and alive, whether they wear it with clothes or without clothes. I enjoy catering to untraditional body types—bigger bodies, trans bodies, disabled bodies, queer bodies—and making everybody feel seen in feel-good and sexy products.”
A seasoned creator in crafting pieces to hug each body differently, Woods’ skills are enticing for the runway, and the artist is no stranger to fashion shows, such as the “West 18th St. Fashion Show: Summer Colosseum” that took place in June. Before designing the custom pieces, Woods takes the measurement of each and every model to ensure a perfect fit. Only after this can the hands-on work begin. According to them, prepping for events like these is no stroll in the park, especially with a fulltime job and kids.
“Every day after my job, I would come home and work for a couple of hours after hanging out with my kids until it was done,” says Woods. “Sometimes you got to put in two hours, and sometimes you gotta put in 10. For the fashion shows, it’s definitely two to three months’ worth of hard work.”
While certain machinery can help take the load off some of the heavy lifting, equipment can be pricey and might not provide the same results achieved by the work of two hands.
“Leather is expensive and a severe physical cross man’s craftsmanship,” says Woods. “It’s super heavy on your arms. I do a ton of hammering and pounding, and I love that it’s like a personal workout, but also, my wrists, joints, and hands are taking a toll. When you punch a hole, there’s no fix in it, and you’ve got to work around it because now it’s there. You have to be really thoughtful and intentional with your cuts in pieces. I am a very impatient person, so it’s a real test of willpower.”
Woods’ love for producing high-quality, handmade, local goods makes the work happen. Furthermore, their love to include everyone in the process keeps the products coming.
“When I first started doing all of this, I didn’t know many folks that would make things for our bodies here in town—in different colors, different hardware with different functions, and in different styles and designs that would make individuals feel strong and accessible to what their body shape was,” says Woods. “Now, I’m very proud to be queer, trans, and local to Kansas City.”
