Episode 30 - Yusuf Osman

YUSSICO is a leather goods label and consultancy founded by award-winning designer and leather craftsman, Yusuf Osman. A lawyer turned leather advocate; his work he shares his journey of building a more meaningful life by slowing down, reconnecting with craftsmanship and appreciating natural materials.Yusuf was introduced to the world of traditional British leather craftsmanship during a weekend course in the Cotswolds. Over the past decade, he has been building his knowledge through sustained study and learning all over the world. A winner of the Leathersellers’ Award for three consecutive years, his work has been exhibited in the UK and Asia and is recommended by the Homo Faber Guide. He has been a judge for the Design-A-Bag Competition and for the Heritage Craft Association, has walked the runway at London Fashion Week and has been interviewed for numerous press and podcast features as a leading industry voice.The UK's foremost authority on fine saddle-stitched leather goods and a Freeman of the Leathersellers’ Company, he has taught leatherworking to hundreds of students from across the globe, including a number of very famous faces. He has worked with international brands including Jo Malone and eBay; has delivered workshops for ACAVA, the NHS and Lewisham Council; is an ambassador for Choose Real Leather and Leather Naturally; has appeared as a key-note speaker at APLF Hong Kong and Bangkok and as a leading industry voice at Lineapelle in Milan alongside the ‘Is It Leather?’ campaign. As well as continuing to make pioneering accessories for customers in his studio, Yusuf’s consultancy [link to new Services page] focuses on championing craftsmanship as an alternative to our throwaway culture. Despite the negative assumptions which are often incorrectly associated with leather, Yusuf’s deep understanding of the material has secured him work with big-named brands, interior designers and fashion houses to help them work with this natural material, which sustainably connects regenerative farming, food waste and the circular economy. Yusuf believes that many of the problems we experience today as individuals and communities, alongside the erosion of the environment, are as a result of our loss of knowledge around craftsmanship and materials. Reconnecting with craft and leather can help us to navigate the complex issues we face, and in doing so, we can uncover the threads that connect us all.Commissions, collaboration, consultation, individual tuition and private label work are welcome.