Scan Magazine | Design Profile | Depeche
Having worked exclusively with leather for more than a decade, DEPECHE. has built up a broad expertise and developed a number of special techniques to expand the possibilities of the material.
The strength of leather Having expanded its remarkably successful collection of leather accessories with a selection of leatherwear, Danish design company DEPECHE. is ready to take things to the next level. Behind the firm is the 2014 winner of the Young Business Leader award, mother-of-two leather enthusiast Janni Hørdum. The CEO tells Scan Magazine about her ambitions for the brand, the importance of a strong team, and her children’s support. By Signe Hansen | Photos: DEPECHE.
When it comes to leather accessories, the people behind the Horsens-located design company DEPECHE. know what they are talking about. Since 2008, the company has specialised exclusively in high-quality leather accessories such as belts and bags. But two years ago, Janni decided it was time to take on a new challenge; it was not, as some might have expected, to expand to other materials, but rather to expand with a collection of feminine yet edgy leatherwear. “In reality, I’ve had a dream of expanding the collection for a long time; it was just a question of how to do it,” says Janni. 14 | Issue 123 | April 2019
“I’ve always been the kind of person who will wear leather leggings and a biker jacket anywhere I can get away with it – in general, I have a great weakness for leather – so I thought that it’d be cool to take the expansion in that direction. Also, I like the idea of doing things differently, and compared to most companies, which start with a clothing collection and then add the bags and belts, we’re doing things the other way round. I think that’s a cool twist, and the fact that we already have the production and expertise within leather has meant that we haven’t had any of the usual start-up problems
that companies usually experience when launching new clothing collections.” When first venturing into leatherwear, DEPECHE. focused solely on leather jackets, but it was soon obvious from the response from customers that there was a demand for much more. Hence, the new collection today includes everything from leather leggings to dresses and shorts, all with the distinct raw and feminine quality which also defines the firm’s accessories.
All leather Made from cow or buff hides, and displaying a wide range of texture, feel and colour, the inspiration for Janni’s collections comes from a potpourri of trips and fashion fairs in Milan, Paris, London, Berlin and New York. This is combined with DEPECHE.’s raw and feminine DNA and a focus on quality, functionality and affordable prices. “We are very faith-