Sori Yanagi, the master of rural crafts, once said that there were two paths to aesthetics. One of them was art, while the other one was craft. The beauty of craft does not take root in individualism; rather, craft is all about usage. Its aesthetics can only be revealed when being actually utilized in our daily lives.
Makr is a brand founded by Jason Gregory in 2007. Apart from bags and accessories, Makr also produces furniture. All their goods are primarily made of canvas, leather, and wood. Such a brand may sound familiar to you, as lifestyle brands like Makr have been trending in the past decade. What truly makes Makr stand out is their choice of materials and details in their design. Their products may look simple, but with the supreme quality and some subtly beautiful details in the design, Makr goods can easily become indispensable items that will brighten up our days.
The Fold Weekender tote bag is one of Makr’s best selling products. It may not look distinctively different from a usual tote. However, with the fold-top design, not only can it protect the content inside from dropping out, but it also allows easy access to the bag contents. Without the need to add a zipper or buttons, the bag can return to its simplest and most original form.
The Makr wallets are equally popular when compared to their totes. The design of their Zip Luxe Wallet may look familiar, but it comes with a longer than usual zipper pull that is almost as long as the wallet width. This allows you to pull the wallet out of your pocket at ease. A quick grip of the pull tab also lets you open the wallet sleekly, guaranteeing a smooth user’s experience.
What truly impressed me was the recent Makr x Line Friends collection. It was difficult for me to imagine how the cute characters of Line Friends can go together with the sophisticated design of Makr. But Gregory managed to turn the adorable Line animals into products that do not look childish for adults, but rather exude a mature charm. The collection features a range of products including a cardholder and a pouch, but the one that I like the best is the bear head keyholder. The classy texture of fine leather matches with the playfulness of the cartoon character, it appears neither too uptight nor too silly. Such an item can easily appeal to all kidults.