Leatherwork with bite
- Evan crafts waistcoats, bags, wallets and more from exotic skins
- He works with several types of leathers, including from invasive species
- Hand dyeing is his favourite part of the process
Evan O'Hara makes clothes and leather goods from wild American alligator, exotic leathers and skins. Originally from Florida and now living in New York, he applies his craft across a wide range of surfaces from garments and accessories to furniture and objets d'art. “I am engaged in every stage of the process, from harvesting to hand finishing,” he says. Evan founded his practice on a passionate commitment to ethical and sustainable sourcing. He has taken on increasingly ambitious projects, among them car interiors and the restoration of works by the French artist duo Les Lalanne for private collectors.
INTERVIEW
It happened by coincidence. I was working in luxury design for a few different fashion houses and ateliers. I landed in material, specifically leather, and I fell in love with exotic leather because it is so unique.
Most people who work in this field often do just one part of the process. I know a lot about the entire process, from the wild animal to the finished product, which is rare in this business.
Upcycling is the whole foundation of my approach. As a leatherworker, I use a material that would otherwise be discarded. The meat is the most valuable part of the species that I work with, in particular the alligator, so the skin is actually the byproduct.
At the moment, I primarily create pieces with alligator skin. I also like working with invasive leathers, such as pythons that come from Asia, for example, as these are now in the Florida Everglades. They need to be removed from the ecosystem because they kill indigenous species.
