Alexis Saab on launching Back Home, expanding beyond custom sneakers, and building a leather goods brand

Guest: Alexis Saab
Sponsor: None
Primary Topic: Building a small leather goods brand from a custom footwear background
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Discussed in this episode

Alexis’s move from custom sneakers into small leather goods

The early direction for his new brand, Back Home

Designing a logo that works when stamped into leather

Why detailed artwork can fail when pressed into certain leather types

The skull-and-halo concept behind the Back Home mark

Learning leather through footwear, scrap leather, and experimentation

Chrome tan versus veg tan from a maker’s point of view

Why shoe patterns are harder than wallet patterns

Sneakers, boots, and dress shoes as different craft disciplines

Rush-order stress and the cost of mistakes in custom footwear

Heat-activated glue and sole attachment

Post-bed machines, roller feet, and stitching around curves

Bell skivers, machine maintenance, and workshop space

Leather community versus shoemaking community

Selling through design instead of only selling material

Alexis’s long-term goal of creating his own shoe silhouette