Javier Menacho Guisado

Guarnicioneria Menacho

Leatherworker

©Artesanía en piel Javier Menacho

Falling in love with leather

Javier masters the Andalusian tradition of crafting leather
He creates handcrafted timeless leather pieces
He is specialised in the embossing technique

Passionate about horses, ten years ago while in his twenties, Javier Menacho started a course to learn how to make his own tack and discovered this was his path, that led him to open his workshop in the Sierra near Sevilla in 2015. He works on his own, with passion, dedication and patience, transforming leather into a wide range of goods he designs, seeking perfection through strictly manual work and direct contact with clients. Specialised in the embossing technique, he brings to life and interprets through his eyes the Andalusian tradition of crafting leather, treating the material with respect, through clean and balanced cuts, enhancing its texture and dyeing it to achieve high quality and timeless pieces.

Interview

©Artesanía en piel Javier Menacho

©Artesanía en piel Javier Menacho

What is your fascination with leather?: I like the feeling of it being a material that has a soul. Not only is it versatile, but has a texture that no synthetic material can compete with. It’s almost alive, and when you take good care of it, you can achieve one-of-a-kind colours and timelessness.
How is your craft connected to Seville?: I am nurtured by the city, especially the neighborhood of Triana, a real crossroad of cultures. When I am exposed to the colourful ceramics, fabrics or examples of Moorish-inspired art and architecture, I can feel the magic and cannot help but reflect these features and patterns in my embossed leather goods.
What is does well made mean for you?: I craft different goods, and it does take time as excellence is achieved only through practice, driven by hard work. I aim to make pieces that have clean cuts, with flawless hand stitching according to the thickness of the material and polishing which gives the final touch.
Do you have a special memory of your craft?: My son David, who is now 6 years old, a year ago told me he wanted to make a belt, so I cut the leather strip for him and made the holes, while explaining to him the whole process, leading him to do the stitching himself. He loved it and still wears the belt.

Javier Menacho Guisado is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2009 and he started teaching in 2020