Handmade in Bavaria Georg (Brettl) Brettmeister
“Nowadays, everything is known for its price, but not for its value!” Oscar Wilde
Hello Georg,
Nice, that it worked with the interview and that you take the time to tell our community about you and your craft! We got to know each other on Instagram. Here you sent me cool pictures from your workshop and that’s how we came into contact. But now more about you. Tell our community how you came across the material ‘leather’.
It all started when I wanted to buy a leather bag. I spent several hours looking for the right leather bag. Either the bag was visually not exactly what I was looking for, or for the poor quality and workmanship, it was simply not worth the price! Without further ado, I thought that if you want something individual, you have to do it yourself. Then I started my first attempt with grandpa’s old shoemaker’s tools and a little leather. In addition, the material “leather” fascinates me so much in itself, because it develops a personality over time, patina. (Patina is the description of the aging process of the leather, which takes place unpredictably and very gently and gives the leather life and character.)
Did you have a handicraft skill at a young age or why did you trust yourself to make your own bag?
During my school days, my teachers discovered, that I have a certain talent for drawing and creativity. I also grew up on a farm, so there was always something to fix.
And how did you teach yourself to work with leather? Has anyone taught you?
I taught myself to work with leather through a number of YouTube videos, non-fiction books and a lot of trying things out, and I taught myself, that it is okay to fail.
Have you fulfilled your dream of your own leather bag?
Yes (laughs), I have fulfilled the dream of my own leather bag. The leather bag can also be admired in my workshop, but unfortunately not for sale. This leather bag has a too high and ideal value for me. It’s my journeyman’s piece. In the meantime it has not only stopped with leather bags. I also use the leather to make purses and belts.
How did you come up with your name “Brettl’s”?
My friends gave me the name as my nickname for my family name ‘Brettmeister’.
Where can you find your workshop?
My workshop is in the Munich area, in Markt Indersdorf, approx. 30 minutes from the center of Munich.
Are you already doing this full-time?
Unfortunately not yet, I am a trained mechatronics technician and work for a well-known beverage manufacturer as an electrical engineer.
When do you find the time to indulge your passion?
After a stressful day at work, there is nothing better for me than to retire to my workshop and work with leather. I can relax and recover.
Where do you get your materials from and what is important to you?
The regional idea is very important to me. That’s why I mostly get my leather from the area. The quality is also really important for me. My tanneries supply me with vegetable-tanned leather. Sometimes a local organic farmer supplies me with raw materials that are tanned regionally. My wish here is that I can completely switch to this “organic leather” in the future. Sure, it’s a bit more expensive, but that way I know, that my leather is not processed with cheap chromium salts, which can be transferred to the human organism through the skin. The belt buckles partially come from the region. Some are handcrafted from sterling silver by a goldsmith from Munich with whom I work. I also pay attention to the quality and robustness. I even make one of my stainless steel clasps by hand. To round off my range, I do also offer stainless steel or brass parts that I have bought. I don’t use nickel-plated or chrome-plated clasps, which get ugly over time.
What is the biggest challenge when working with leather?
Definitely the traditional method of leather processing, that is used to decorate leather items. It is called hallmarking. It doesn’t forgive mistakes! Mending like a piece of fabric is not possible.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Not being part of the throwaway society. Fast fashion is ugly, especially, since everyone has to be clear where and at what cost everything can be offered so cheaply. Avarice is no longer cool. A rethink must take place here!
Thank you for the interview, we would like to visit you in your workshop! Until then, you are welcome to visit Georg’s homepage at: www.brettls.de.
Interview with Ioannis from Jack The Ripper Tattoo & Barbershop in Stuttgart
Hello, Ioannis, we met shortly after the opening of your barber shop. We both knew, that such a shop was missing in Stuttgart. But step after step. Tell us something about your Barber shop and how it all started!
I’ve always dreamed of a shop for men, a shop where women have no access to, a place where men can be men, have men’s conversations, a whisky or a beer in their hands, and a cigar to blues music and the treatment is something by the way. In short, wellness for men! The way, we men like it. That’s how Jack The Ripper was born.
A barber shop with life music and a bar would have been called a mixed business in the past, how is that going today?
As far as the serving is concerned, as long as you don’t ask for money for the drinks, you don’t need a distribution license, so the drinks and cigars are part of out treatment.
You’ve set rigourous rules in your shop. Clear lines for your customers.
What kind of customers do you love, which do you send out right away?
Yes, respect is paramount to us. I’m not interested in who you are and what you have, everyone in my shop is the same and everyone is treated equally, no matter what are the social conditions, we are like a family. If you enter our shop and don’t greet, you can immediatly leave right away, because you don’t get any service here. I love customers who have focussed on the culture of barber and know what to expect when they enter our shop. Those who pay tribute to us and our craftsmanship are welcomed to the close circle of the family and are welcome guests.
Ioannis, in addition to your work in your barbershop, you are incredibly active at festivals, motorcycle and US car meetings and have even enough time to create the gentleman’s club: whisky and cigar tastings in your shop. How do you do all this? What drives you?
Yes, it’s not always easy and sometimes very exhausting, but the passion and love for what we do and the satisfaction of our customers inspires me and gives me the energy to reconcile everything. I’ve made my passion as my profession. Nothing better could have happen to me, and of course my team, without the boys, Jack The Ripper wouldn’t be where we are today!!!
As a barber, you’re always in the centre of everything, at all the events and of course at work. Your opinion… Where are you going with the man’s style and beard? What’s up, what will stay and what’s an absolute NO GO?
The beard is a way of life! That’s not just a trend. Anyone who loves and nurtures his beard, wont be able to past a barber. The same thing counts for those who want to miss a classic men’s haircut or a traditional wet shaving with everything that goes with it and just forget the present for a certain period of time and let themselves be dropped and pampered, according to traditional barber art! An absolute no-go, pluck eyebrows and masks. We are a traditional barbershop, not a beauty centre!
Thank you Ioannis, till the next interview!
Content by @saltyvoodoo
„Do one thing in life and do it right!“
His ambition to become a barber came from Alexander Vellios (known as Torreto) childhood memories.
He grew up in a small village in Greece together with his grandfather. There, they often visited the local barber shop. Through those visits, he got to know at a young age the gentlemen mentality: respect toward older people and the welcome with a handshake. Talking about the real life made such a big expression on him, that he began to think of the barber as his heroes. The way how barbers build friendships with their customers were admirable for him:
As soon as they entered the shop, it didn’t matter where they worked or how much money they earned. Important was who they really were, how they treated people and that they showed respect for each other. The culture of the barbers lead him to his dream to become one of them.
After he spent his whole childhood in Greece, his parents decided to live in Germany. Alexandros followed his parents and tried his luck in Germany. Although he couldn’t be friends with the educational system, he graduated. Afterwards he started his apprenticeship as a hairdresser, but gave up on it, because he noticed, that it had nothing to do with his childhood memories of the barbers in Greece. There are two different professions (we will explain the difference in a separate blog post – STAY TUNED). After furthermore attempts to establish a foothold in Germany, he decided to go back to Greece to join the army. There it was kind of a tradition, that the newbies have been selected to cut the hairs of the soldiers.
During this phase he got to know, how much appreciation a hair cut could earn. Even his supervisors came occasionally to get a new hair cut. After a successful time at the army, Alexandros decided to fulfill his long-desired dream: to open his own barber shop in Germany.
Thereby he always remembered the words of his grandfather: „Do one thing in life and do it right!“
He needed one year for planning and realization. With a little capital, but a strong passion and lifeblood, he finally opened his first barber shop in the Basaltstrasse 46 in Frankfurt in August 2014. There he had a back room in a hairdressing salon.
A safe heaven for real men.
Here you don’t wait until its your turn. You enjoy your whiskey and smoke a cigar during your waiting time.
With his first store in Frankfurt Bockenheim he made it possible to achieve something in a short time, that many people had previously regarded as impossible. He reanimated the forgotten craft of the barber.
After short time his barber shop boomed and it came to problems with the landlord. The lessor hadn’t told the owner of Alexandors barbershop. Additionally, Alexandros had already a big customer base, which the owner of the hair salon didn’t liked. The jealousy of the hairdresser have been confirmed in written words: ‘Cancelation of the rentabel area!’
Although he had ups and downs, he decided to hold on to his dream and looked after a new space for his barber shop. After a long search, he finally found a space near the center of the city (Alten Gasse) spread over two floors. Until today, that is the place of Alexandors barber shop: Torreto.
