10 minutes with local taste makers

Leon Engelbrecht

There is something to be said for creative entrepreneurs. Individually, those job titles are challenging enough. Throw them together and you will find an intersection of ridiculously brave (and just a little bit foolish) individuals who choose this challenge on a daily basis. Leon Engelbrecht is one of these crazy genius people.

For over a decade he pursued a career in the IT industry. Fresh out of high school and having little framework of where to start (as so many of us do), Leon went into corporate. And it ended up being the bane of his existence. But like most great stories, this one has a comeback montage: well into his IT career, the pursuit of building a home alongside his partner inspired a love for interior design. This personal project put his entire creative career into motion. He jumped ship, let go of the certainty and created his own breed: Leon Engelbrecht Design.

Many Namibians are familiar with his brand of leather goodies. Known colloquially as LED, Leon and his three-strong team of crafters hand stitch duffel bags, wallets, purses, belts, you name it. I repeat: hand stitched, in Windhoek, in an uber cool, up-and-coming corner of the capital. Surrounding the LED studio is an art gallery, a tattoo and barber shop, plus there’s mention of a micro brewery opening around the corner. Very exciting to say the least! Leon’s creative playground is a warehouse-style, screed floor, open-plan space. Two thirds workshop and one third retail. In the latter he’s showcasing Leon Engelbrecht Design’s magnificent leather work and homeware, alongside complementary brands that include delicious olives, ceramics and funky socks to wear with the imported leather shoes he also stocks. The goal is for this space to be a one-stop destination for gifting or simply an eclectic shopping experience.

While we know (and love) Leon for his leather work, his skill in crafting was hard-earned. After departing the corporate world, the artisan embarked on an in-depth course in working with leather. “I never learnt to weld or do carpentry, yet I had this desire to learn something practical and get my hands dirty. Leather craftsmanship ended up being my thing.”

For Leon there’s magic in the process. From the sketch on paper and preparing the material, to stitching and perfecting the final product, he’s fond of the journey from start to finish and finds the feeling of creating something from scratch utterly intoxicating.

Leon is inspired, first and foremost, by Namibia. The landscapes, wildlife and people form an integral part of the work that is produced at LED. The colour palette of our fauna and flora are visible in the shades of bovine leather used for accessories, or the prints developed for his homeware ranges. Leon personally trained LED’s employees and says he strives for his studio to be a safe and creative space that eventually employs many more Namibians. His second greatest source of inspiration comes from the glossy pages of magazines, particularly House and Leisure. Asked who his dream client might be, “one with a big budget” jokes Leon. He dreams of designing a lodge space, simply because the scale and creative boundaries are seemingly limitless. Once that dream client appears he’ll be including locally crafted furniture and décor elements, while challenging our ideas of what a lodge “should” look like.

With his hound as a mascot and a team of hardworking crafters, Leon is reimagining the quintessential Namibian lifestyle and shopping experience, all the while honouring and advocating for the maker’s movement. Groundbreaking stuff!

Charene Labuschagne

Photography: Tara Mett; Willem Vrey & Charene Labuschagne