Mr. S Leather [Edit]

Mr. S Leather
Mr. S Leather
Retailer

Mr. S Leather is the largest leather and fetish retailer in San Francisco, which also does a large volume of business online. It was founded in 1979 by Alan Selby, the “S” in Mr. S. For some time it was operated by Judy Tallwing McCarthey.

History

Initially conceptualized by the infamous and fondly remembered Alan Selby, Mr. S Leather had its humble beginnings with only a handful of production and sales staff. Mr. S Leather could be best described as a “Leather Family”. Many companies today, selling or producing fetish gear and apparel over the years have fallen short of this mark, having flooded the marketplace with flimsy designs and novelty items that weren’t functional. This was clearly not going to be the case with Mr. S Leather. Striving for perfection in both its craftsmanship and creative design produced legitimate and real working BDSM equipment and apparel that could stand the test of time.

Mr. S Leather was taken over in 1991 by Richard Hunter who himself was already a player in the leather scene. He provided new leadership and vision that re-invented the Mr. S Leather Company. The marketing and designs were transformed and directed by Hunter and his production staff by looking towards the future and opening up the business to a broader market by moving away from a strictly 1970s image.

New Direction

Mr. S Leather Ad
An early advertisement for Mr. S Leather.

Hunter marketed Mr. S Leather to a younger and broader public while taking care not to alienate the so-called ‘old guard’. He started photographing the new catalogs himself and featured a younger group of Generation X men and boys tied and bound in a mind-boggling array of inventive and newly designed gear. The resulting 476-page Black & While catalog was a radical and astounding advertising erotica. With an immense size and photo quality usually only found in high-end art books, this catalog was the catalyst that made Mr. S Leather explode to the public with a renewed excitement and vitality. The beginnings of the paper Mr. S Catalog started in 1993 and continued with updates until 2005. Over 90,000 copies were sold during this time and the catalog is still considered to be a classic of this leather lifestyle. Now, all the photography has been transferred over to the web pages of Mr. S Leather.

Hunter handpicked his next generation of staff, many of whom were not only skilled leather craftsmen, but also lived this as a leather lifestyle. One of these employees undeniably stood out as the company’s secret weapon; arriving as an invaluable production manager ‘Skeeter’ had unfathomable talents and leadership qualities that established her as a crown jewel of the company. She received the International Deaf Leather Recognition Award in 1999.

Mr. S Leather Retail Location
The Mr. S Leather store in San Francisco.

Mr. S uses high quality hides, regardless of where they are imported from, either in America or from the Canadian or European marketplaces. Mr. S only uses latex from 4D Rubber in the UK, which is the highest grade garment quality latex for rubber bondage gear and apparel. The sturdiest, strongest and longest lasting metals are used for zippers, snaps, and buckles. Careful attention is paid to each detail, from clean and methodical stitching to strong and secure rivets and strapping.

Mr. S Leather has prided itself by keeping its production facilities in the United States and employing Americans. 95% of leather and latex products are made and produced in the US, in its San Francisco workshops.

At Events

Mr. S Leather has a presence in the vendor marts of most major leather event weekends, including International Mr. LeatherMid-Atlantic Leather and CLAW.

Recognition

“Skeeter of Mr. S Leather & Fetters Co.” received the International Deaf Leather Recognition Award in 1999.

External Links

Mr. S Leather website

Sidebar