The Modus Operandi: Polishing and Painting the Angle Tote

Our small run of Angle Totes continues to be worked on in the studio this week. Today, our artisans are painting and polishing them, two steps that occur in tandem thanks to their interconnected nature. As each tote piece is shuttled back and forth between the painting and buffing stations, the surface becomes smoother and smoother until no suede fibers are visible or palpable, escalating their appearance and longevity. 

The process begins by painting over the exposed edges of every Angle Tote piece, which “raises the grain” of the leather- almost like a piece of wood. Once the latent fibers have surfaced, they’re sent to be buffed off, and the process is repeated again. With each round of painting and buffing, less fibers will surface, and we therefore know a piece is done when the edge’s texture is flat to the touch and richly colored. 

At this point, the paint has been completely worked into the leather, but our work isn’t done yet. A Lotuff bag is defined by its sleek structure and clean lines, so all pieces must be examined to be sure each one is consistent with the next. This ensures the visual shape of the piece will be correct upon assembly. Following the confirmation that these Angle Totes are on their way to perfection, they’ll continue on to their next step and be out the door to their new owners in a few days.