The Leather Legacy of HiDesign

Head to the mall for leather shopping and you're bound to spot one brand that stands out on the shelves with its vintage charm — HiDesign. This brand has been carrying the same legacy and allure for over five decades.

It was in 1977 that Dilip Kapur founded HiDesign. But there's more to it than just the brand’s origin — its story weaves into the history of leather in India, offering a glimpse into how the industry itself began.

The East-India influence and the carry forward! 

Back in the 1800s, the East India Company — then the world’s most powerful multinational — discovered a traditional method of “vegetable tanning” being practised across hundreds of artisanal tanneries in southern India.

By 1856, the British army had begun using this leather for its accessories. Today, Kanpur is widely recognised for producing leather goods and accessories, including footwear, clothing, and more.

Fast forward to the 1970s — Dilip Kapur was working with leather in Denver, USA, when he discovered that East India (E.I.) leather was still being used by notable fashion houses to craft luxury footwear and bags. Inspired, he began searching for skilled tanners in India who had preserved this fine and time-honoured technique.

Interestingly, much like how Champagne is specific to northeastern France or Basmati rice to North India, ‘E.I. leather’ is officially recognised and registered as a Geographical Indication (GI) product, unique to certain regions of Tamil Nadu.

Indian leather — often referred to as East India leather — is also known for its natural blonde shade, which gives it a luminous quality. This glow shines through any colour that is hand-rubbed onto it, giving HiDesign products their signature, unmistakable sheen.

HiDesign’s Forte

HiDesign’s East India leather, as the brand calls it, is known for its exceptional strength and lively bounce. This resilience comes from the use of natural extracts like Myrobalan seed and Wattle bark, which ‘feed’ and ‘fill’ the leather fibres — unlike chemical chrome tanning, which merely ‘coats’ them, according to the brand.

HiDesign positions itself as a leader in the research and revival of East India leather. “We take pride in tanning our leathers slowly and ecologically,” the brand states, “carrying forward a rich heritage of producing exquisite leathers admired around the world.”

Dilip Kapur, who had just completed his Ph.D. in International Affairs, returned to India after years of experimentation and life as a self-described “hippie.”

He came back with a dream — to contribute to the utopian ideals of Auroville and, alongside that, pursue his passion for designing and crafting leather bags.

In its early days, the brand launched a small collection of innovative bags. Even then, as the brand notes, they stood apart from those being made in the US and Europe. The designs quickly gained traction in cities like San Francisco, London, and Melbourne, earning a reputation for being ‘radically’ different.

Today, HiDesign products are sold in nearly 25 countries and are celebrated for their commitment to sustainability, innovation, and timeless leather craftsmanship.

Speaking of its working process, HiDesign collaborates closely with groups of skilled craftspeople to construct each bag, where traditional expertise meets fine leather. From start to finish, every bag is made entirely by hand. Leather cutters use fine-pointed knives, tools that take over two years to master, while the brass buckles are individually sand-cast and painstakingly hand-polished. It’s this commitment to craftsmanship that defines HiDesign’s unique approach to handcrafted luxury.

Among its iconic pieces is the Little Boxy Bag, a design that stood apart from other styles of the 1990s and even earned the brand the prestigious ‘Accessory of the Year’ award in the UK.

“We’ve always drawn inspiration from adventure, travel, and culture, not fleeting trends. Originality and simplicity lie at the heart of our design philosophy,” the brand proudly states.

Sustainability continues 

As times changed, HiDesign acknowledges that most tanneries shifted to the faster, more cost-effective method of chrome tanning. However, the brand chose to stay rooted in tradition, championing the revival of the slower, labour-intensive process of vegetable tanning.

HiDesign’s atelier is set within a lush campus, surrounded by ponds and streams — a natural environment that, according to the brand, serves as daily inspiration for its craftswomen.

Beyond its signature bags, the brand has embraced a range of sustainable practices. The atelier is powered by solar energy, the tanneries use 100% recycled water, and even leather scraps are repurposed to create paper bags for stores, ensuring sustainability remains at the forefront of its philosophy.