ABOUT

Whilst studying tailoring and learning the traditional methods of working with leather, I quickly became captivated with leather craftsmanship and the versatility and longevity of leather as a material. This became the start of the Kingsley Walters brand, founded in 2015.

What initially began as a hobby - making small items for myself and friends - soon turned into a business, as I began to receive bespoke orders by word of mouth. Making further investment in traditional saddlery tools, I have been able to create small capsule collections, as well as lead workshops on leather craftsmanship.

As a craftsman, I make practical and durable pieces by hand, utilising traditional methods: each product is hand cut and stitched with beeswax coated thread. I also use locally sourced material - purchased here in London, and

traceable to source.

The Kingsley Walters kite logo is a direct reference to the simple things I miss most about my early life in Jamaica. During school holidays, we would venture into the mango fields, play football against other kids, or make homemade kites and fly them in playful kite wars. Sometimes, we would put all our money together, so the winning team in the kite wars would have made enough to go to the shop and buy drinks and bread of some sort. When I think back to those summer days, the simple

things that brought me such joy, I can’t help but smile. Jamaica contributes massively to who I am, and when creating a logo for my brand, I therefore thought back to those early years in Kingston. That’s where it all started - making kites from scratch, by hand.  Now, many years later, I decided to see if I still remembered how to do it: I decided to make a kite, and see if it would fly. It did - this time, not over mango fields, but high up on London’s Parliament Hill. Although the setting has changed, the feeling hasn’t, and as it soared up into the sky, I found myself laughing like I used to.

This story sums up the Kingsley Walters brand, which merges my Jamaican heritage and my current life in London, working with traditional British handcrafting techniques. A lot of work goes into the creation process, yet the story of your product begins once it has been bought by or gifted to you: the finished product will develop through use, wear and the passage of time, creating a truly unique piece that can last a lifetime.