Welcome to Dichotomie Studio (previously Stitch & Shutter)! I'm Megan, founder of Dichotomie. I started creating leather goods in mid 2014. With a fine art background in photography and fabric design, I've always enjoyed dabbling in various materials but find that intentional, intricate fiber art and leatherwork feel the most like “home”. 

I truly love the timelessness and durability of leather. I particularly love things that force me to slow down, things that take a great amount of patience and attention to detail. Leather work offers this in many ways.

The cutout collection, the first collection ever offered by Dichotomie, plays off of my mantra- "a delicate strength." This has been a recurring theme in my creative work and I bring it to life within the collection often by combining fine, delicate lines with the strength of leather. Really, every step of the process being made with my hands is a nod to the mantra. It presents itself in nearly all areas of my personal and professional life. After all, I'm pretty tiny and I spend my days schlepping cowhides around and swinging mallets.

My goal with the products I offer is to combine traditional craftsmanship with modern yet timeless designs. I'm always stuck somewhere between modern and classic and I love that balance. Dichotomie may be offering leather goods, but these aren't your traditional leather goods. The pieces in the collection aren't inspired by a Western style but rather they are informed by my fine art background and a beautiful balance of structure and play. 

These objects are meant to become the most cherished items in your home and for you to carry.

I am so honored to offer my leather collection and to continue expanding Dichotomie as a creative studio space where I am able to celebrate my love of fiber art and the many materials represented within this art form.

A little about the process:

All items in the collection are handmade by just me from start to finish in Denver, CO USA. Pieces are created using vegetable tanned cowhide leather of varying weights. Each item begins as a simple concept which is sketched by hand. After the initial sketch, the design is broken down into each component and a new drawing is made showing the exact number of pockets, panels, cuts, snaps, rivets, etc. needed to complete the sample. Next, materials are sourced and the sample is created by hand which involves hand cutting, hand dying, and saddle stitching. Each item is finished at the edges with beeswax from my father's bees. However, the process doesn't end there. After the first sample is made, I will personally wear or utilize the item for a period of time until it's ready for the consumer. This period could involve several redesigns before the final product is available. 

For example, the O-Ring Shoulder Bag which launched as part of the Spring/Summer 2018 collection was initially designed and made in November 2017. I then carried it (packed to the brim!) with me every day until it launched in March 2018 (side note: I still carry it often), making notes along the way of what worked and what didn't. The launch of that bag was nearly 5 months after I made the original sample and it involved several key changes to improve functionality and the overall look (adding an adjustable strap, stitching the strap hangers rather than using rivets, getting rid of the saggy loop closure, etc.). Each one of those bags takes about 3 hours to complete--when I say handmade, I mean HANDMADE.

So, by the time I make an item available for purchase, you better bet I'm confident and proud of what I've created. For you, only the best.