Rilleau Buckle-less Leather Belts
by Rilleau Leather
In addition to their renowned line of custom made sandals, Rilleau Leather makes unique sculptural knotted belts. In the early 30's Roger Rilleau (father of the current owner) was one of the many artists who migrated between New York and Provincetown, MA, where he became involved with a craft cooperative dedicated to reviving ancient Grecian Arts. While learning the process of handcrafting leather sandals he became enthralled with leather as a creative medium and began to explore new applications of the versatile material. For more than fifty years, Rilleau leather goods were available only through the doors of the family workshop.
Productsin This Collection
About the ArtisanKim Rilleau
I grew up in Provincetown, MA. My earliest memories are of the family leather shop which was in an old Chinese restaurant, where we lived in the back.
I was taught the family trade early on, learning how to shape, stitch and work leather from the time I was four. At the age of fourteen, I was given my own bench and, finally, my own knife (which I still treasure). Over time my duties grew within the family business. Each week, each month, each year, under the tutledge of my father, I learned more. By 1970, my father was less and less involved in the hands on work in the shop (he had already logged over 30 years at the bench by then) and he was glad to hand the reins over to me. Today, I continue the family tradition of making the highest quality functional leather art.