How should I display my leatherwork?

[UKRay]

Have you displayed your work at shows and fayres and found all kinds of great ways to get a good response. I would be very grateful to learn from your pictures.

In short, how should I display my leathergoods to get the best response? What are the best and most attractive backgrounds and lighting setups? Has anyone built a display stand that really made a difference to their sales. How should I display purses, keyrings and jewellery to catch the buyer's eye? Hopefully everyone has an opinion! Ideas would be great and pictures even better. Thanks guys. Ray

[TomSwede]

Perhaps I'd use a table wich a placed out shaped foampieces and put a nice cover over it and placing the delicate work on those foampieces. The farther back at the table the higher the foampieces would be to get a good overview of the goodies.

I was thinking about a deepblue satin type of cover but that would require good lighting if there was alot of dark/black work on the table.

Just a thought!

Tom

[Hilly]

Do you think that leatherwork looks very nice displayed on natural fur, such as hair on animal hides? Tom's idea of foam "shapes" is a good one, only maybe you'd put them under Hair on hides, and display your larger or more expensive items. The small stuff like key fobs and such could just hang on a rack of some type? Or, with the small stuff, you could just display one or two of a particular item, and keep the rest loose in a box for the customer to pick out his/her own item.

When it comes to lighting, natural looks best, but if you need artificial lighting, flourescent gives off a green type of glow; not very flattering IMO. Sodium vapor: too orange and unnatural. Either of these don't show the true colors of your products. Try broad spectrum lighting to eliminate the off colors. A general ambient light source, coupled with low intensity spot lighting could hilite your best work? Sorry, I was just sort of thinking out loud...

[TomSwede]

Hey Hilly, you've been in my head lately??

I had forgot about these pics but you made the bell in my head ring so after some digging, tada: my first sewing experince. Not proud but dude loves it. Nowadays the sewing is replaced with doublelooped lacing.

Not a very good pic to illustrate leather on hair on hide but thats what it is. Reindeer hide.

Tom

[skip]

When I have displayed my items it has been mostly at horse shows but I use Grid walls and hang my stuff from hooks, Most shows that you rent a space from will rent you a 10X10 space to display your stuff. I set up my grid walls in the back of my booth and let the costomers come into my booth to view them. I will see if I can post a pic so you know what I am talking about. I hope these pictures will help the woman in the picture is my wife Becky who is my major supporter in my business.

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[Jordan]

Having the same thoughts while waiting to hear from the artist panel for the farmers market. Last year was pretty rushed so it was a couple of foldup tables, a tripod and pegboard thingy and a very well padded patio chair under a 10x10 popup cover. Worked ok but I want to do a little more this year so I may design and build some simple tabletop displays that foldup or breakdown for storage. Some better signage especially so there is no price misunderstanding. And some type of table covering. That will have to do as $$$ are a huge rarity. I was amazed at two things last year 1. Everyone wants it for free. 2. The wristbands sold very well.

[Hilly]

Hey Hilly, you've been in my head lately??

I had forgot about these pics but you made the bell in my head ring so after some digging, tada: my first sewing experince. Not proud but dude loves it. Nowadays the sewing is replaced with doublelooped lacing.

Not a very good pic to illustrate leather on hair on hide but thats what it is. Reindeer hide.

Tom

No Tom, I haven't been in your head, YOU have been in MINE! I was thinking about the reindeer hide I have stashed away to use as end gussets in a bag I plan on making. I thought about photographing some stuff I made and putting it on that hide. Gosh, we're gonna have to stop meeting like this. People will talk.

[Drac]

ray,

I custom built carry/display cases for me goodies out of 1 x 4's and pegboard. they're hinged and 3 feet by 5 1/2 feet when closed and 6 feet wide when fully open. you can sorta see what the cases look like in me profile pic. once I have everything arranged the way I want it, I have 2" eggcrate foam mounted on 2" solid insulation foam (the pink stuff for house walls) that I put inside the cases and close 'em so nothing moves around during transit. that way when I set up I jsut unlock, open, put the foam behind the cases and (hopefully) start making money! I load 'em into and out of wherever with a dolly very easily. as far as lighting goes, since I'm usually set up in dark clubs, I use 2 very bright clip on lights. that way no matter how I configure the 3 cases (soon to be 5 with more lights added) I can use the lights to draw attention AND light everything up well.

[TomSwede]

No Tom, I haven't been in your head, YOU have been in MINE! I was thinking about the reindeer hide I have stashed away to use as end gussets in a bag I plan on making. I thought about photographing some stuff I made and putting it on that hide. Gosh, we're gonna have to stop meeting like this. People will talk.

let 'em talk, lol!

Looking forward to see that reindeer bag!

Tom

[UKRay]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the great suggestions. The reason for my question was that the cost of leather, dye and fittings keeps rising and it seems to me that anything we can do to 'add value' to our products in the eys of the potential customer has to be worth some effort.

Personally, I sold my leather for many years from a simple 'trestle' table display with two side supports and a cross beam where I hung anything on a thong, plus belts and small bags. The frame was made from varnished pine with wooden pegs for the goodies. At the back of the table display I built a low (1ft high) wooden surround and used carboard boxes in tiers to give myself some height to display the more expensive stuff at the back - I'll use foam now I know better!

The whole lot looked okay and packed down very small but I always wondered if there was anything thsat would be more effective. I'll be interested to hear other people's views on this as selling the things we make is pretty important even if it is only to buy more leather with the money! How do people sell leather at Renaissance Fayres in the US? I've seen a few pictures of amazing displays at those events but never a leather stall... R.