Handmade bags and belts produced in California, USA. Yet luxury label Streets Ahead places particular emphasis on the leather and metal components sourced from Italy. Founded in 1982 by David Sack, the brand is one of the few leather goods companies that still genuinely manufactures by hand in the United States and on a made-to-order basis. “Using only the finest Italian leather and hardware”, reads the company’s website. Best known for its artisanal belts worn by internationally renowned celebrities, the brand has recently launched a new handbag collection. Californian craftsmanship combined with Italian leather.

Californian craftsmanship

Streets Ahead is a family-run accessories brand based in Los Angeles. The label handcrafts every belt in the United States, using premium Italian leather and bespoke hardware. In many ways, the company resembles a classic Italian SME specialising in leather goods. Alongside founder and owner David Sack, the business also involves his wife Michelle, who oversees sales, and their daughter Ruth, responsible for design and marketing.

The new bag styles

The communication strategy of the brand — which manufactures by hand in the US — consistently highlights the Italian origin of its most important materials: leather and metal hardware. This message is repeated throughout the official website and in the descriptions of products sold in the online shop. The company has recently expanded its handbag offering, launching a new line comprising eleven styles which, as natlawreview writes, celebrate “the brand’s signature characteristic: Italian leather craftsmanship”.

Given the quality of the materials and the made-to-order production process, the collection will be produced in limited quantities. Retail prices range from 237 to 780 dollars. “Animal prints are enjoying a major moment right now, but for us they have never really been seasonal. They have always existed in that space between classic and daring”, says Ruth Sack. She continues: “The idea was to create bags that could become the statement piece of an everyday wardrobe. Zebra and cow prints add a bold and tactile element, while the shapes remain simple and functional”.