What does it take to manufacture a legacy? Great patience, pride and tenacity. An abundance of skill and diligence. In Manufacturing Legacy, Ivor Andrew tells the stories of some beloved makers who walk this path every day.
LANGLITZ LEATHERS
Langlitz was the perfect candidate for a Manufacturing Legacy shoot. Storied history, impeccable reputation and products that are so good, money is no object. We arrived at their digs in Portland, Oregon with gear in hand, ready to capture the care and love that goes into a one-of-a-kind Langlitz jacket. Viewer beware: you might feel the urge to buy some leather after watching this.
KETTLE MORAINE PRESERVATION & RESTORATION
In the latest installment of our series, we visit Kettle Moraine Preservation & Restoration. Kettle Moraine lives and breathes motorsports history. Their love of racing and the characters that made up the sport got them to where they are today. Every car they touch has that history seeping off of it. They preserve the past and keep memories alive. Dan Gurney, a racing legend, told Kettle Moraine to keep his car flying. That about sums it up.
RYAN THOMAS MONAHAN
Take a close look at a Ryan Thomas Monahan piece and you’ll quickly notice the insane attention to detail each of his miniature storefronts has. The former graphic designer has always been drawn to the darker, grimier side of life. He sees beauty in it. And because of how skilled his hand is, he helps the rest of us see the beauty, too.
OPTIMO HATS
If you browse the Optimo website or their store in downtown Chicago, you’ll quickly come to the same conclusion we did: This is the best hat you will ever wear.
Their shop is a total throwback. Rare tools from all over the world come together to create a one-of-a-kind workshop. In an increasingly disposable world, Optimo hand-crafts hats that last. Each one forms itself to its person, becoming part of their wardrobe, lifestyle, and personality.
TRILLIUM AMPLIFIERS
Trillium Amplifier Company says they make the finest boutique guitar amplifiers available today. To prove it, they gave our cameras permission to record the start-to-finish process that makes a Trillium amp. The verdict? We’d be hard-pressed to find a better amp out there.
KOVAL DISTILLERY
For Robert and Sonat Birnecker, straying from the norm is an all too common concept. After years spent in other industries, the couple decided to pursue a different path. Their choice produced one of the best quality distilleries in all of Chicago, and the world.
KOVAL is a world leader in the practice, boasting awards both nationally and internationally and earning “Top 100 Distilleries in the World to Visit” in a Whisky Magazine feature. The delectable organic spirits have attracted whiskey lovers from all over the world.
RIGHT WAY SIGNS
When Ches Perry enrolled in college, he thought he was headed to design school. Once he got there, he quickly learned he had signed up for a place that focused entirely on sign painting. Despite the initial mix-up, he discovered he loved sign painting. He was good at it. So, in 1970, he started Right Way Signs in Chicago.
47 years later, he's still going. His one-of-a-kind work is all over the city, and the demand is only going up as the digital world makes people yearn for signage that's uniquely theirs.
SAKAI KNIVES
For centuries, Sakai was known for its samurai swords. Generations of swordmakers passed down their knowledge, and today, the city forges and hones the best handmade kitchen knives on earth.
The shops we visited were roughly the size of a one-car garage. They had dirt floors and were impossible to find without a guide. On top of that, there’s not one modern tool to be found. Just hot furnaces, mechanical hammers, grinding wheels and big boards with nails. And yet, because of the sheer artistry, the world’s greatest chefs seek out their knives.
Know a business or maker who would be perfect for this series?
Let us know about it! Email info@ivorandrew.com.