About Us

My husband of 35 years has worked in the footwear industry for most of our married life, and as I have travelled with him and explored various tanneries, my own love for leather has grown. Little did I know, as he was searching for new boot ideas, I was shopping for hides that would eventually become beautifully crafted handbags. I got my hands on some scrap leather that I used to make just a couple of purses for myself. When I started carrying them at home, they were a big hit! Originally, I didn’t intend to start a purse company, but when people really seemed to like these bags as much as I did, my family and friends encouraged me to make more. I bought more leather, made a few new designs to sell at craft fairs and similar venues, and one thing led to another -- eventually I ended up selling my purses wholesale to some of my husband’s western footwear contacts. After some time, my supporters started encouraging me to take it to retail and make my bags available to everyone, so I decided to give it a try, and thus, Leander was born! A true passion project.

Next, I needed a name for my new business. I wanted it to be unique; I wanted it to be one word, short and sweet; but most importantly, I wanted it to be something meaningful for me, so the first thing I looked to for inspiration was my family. My great grandfather on my father’s side had a very unique first name, LeAnder. I liked it! And, as I continued digging, I found out his wife had also been an early entrepreneur. In a time when women were even less involved in matters of business, Ethel Sampson Sugg had been selling The Watkins Co. products. Not only this, but she owned and drove her own car, in 1928! Ethel drove herself all over town selling vanilla extract and other household goods. The only issue for me was that I didn’t love the name “Ethel”, as it just didn’t have quite the ring I was looking for. So, I went back to the name LeAnder. That one stuck with me! A unique and simple name.

I intend to keep LeAnder’s selection rotating by keeping my quantities small and my styles vast, so that every time you explore my site or browse my selection in stores, you are able to find something new and exciting. This way I can hold onto the small batch, boutique feel we started with. Still to this day, my desire is not to become a ‘big’ purse manufacturer. The brand is personal to me, so I continue with the same passion that got me started: a love for leather and an eagerness to see what I can make with my favorite pieces. The joy, for me, comes from seeing the transformation of a unique piece of leather into such a variety of eye-catching, yet practical designs. 

So here's to LeAnder and Ethel! And to all my people (you know who you are), thank you for your love and never-ending support.