What happens when you haul all your worldly belongings halfway across the country? A lot of pent up creative energy, apparently. I knew this fall would be a lot of fun for Studio Hall, but I did not expect the sudden outburst of designs and ideas that happened over the last couple of weeks. There's a lot to share.
We have THREE new products to introduce. Let's get into it.
1. The Accent Watch Strap
Customers love our fully custom watch straps. Hand-stitched with linen thread and lined with hypo-allergenic, sweat-resistant Haas Zermatt leather for ultimate comfort, these straps were the first product to really take off back in Texas, honestly before we even knew how to make them! What a steep learning curve! As beloved as our stitched straps are, we have wanted to make a simpler, more casual strap for a long time that could be worn in more rugged or informal situations. Enter our Accent line. Most "minimalist" straps use two layers of thin leather folded over each other and sealed with glue and paint to achieve a stitchless design. The problem is that watch straps take a beating from sun, friction, and sweat (probably tears, too). Over time, the paint and glue will inevitably let go, and you are left with a floppy, un-repairable accessory. The Accent line uses a single thick 7oz piece of full grain veg tan for strength and durability. But don't worry, even though it starts out stiff, these straps break in beautifully and the patina is gorgeous. Every edge and back side of an Accent strap is burnished to be soft, smooth, and rounded. There is nothing unrefined about one of our minimalist straps.
Available in natural, dark brown, and black, the Accent straps can be customized with your choice of stainless steel hardware and thread color. Of course, the straps are fitted to your wrist and watch, specifically (yes, even the newest Apple watches!). We can't wait to see these straps on your wrist. Does that sound weird?
Design your Accent strap here!
2. The Dyad Cardholder
Next up is a take on our Couplet bifold cardholder. Folks love the clean utility of only two main card pockets, but the folding form factor (he said, alliteratively) wasn't the right fit for some diehard minimalists. That's where the Dyad comes in. Think of it as both pocket panels of the Couplet but without the foldy bits. It's slim, it's sleek, and along with one card slot on either side, there is a middle pocket for receipts or a small bit of cash. Compared to our other ultra-sleek cardholder, the Volta, the Dyad uses a traditional "pancake" design to keep its layers as thin as possible, while the Volta implements a unique "fold" design for larger capacity. We think folks will love the thin and elegant functionality of the Dyad as much as they love its bigger sibling, the Couplet. The Dyad can be customized with a main and accent color from any full of the beautiful full grain, veg tan leather that we stock, and along with a wide selection of thread, heat-pressed initials come free of charge. We recommend 2-4 cards in the Dyad to maintain its slim profile.
Customize your Dyad here!
3. The Ballad Cardholder
If the Dyad is the simplified, non-bifold analogue of the Couplet, then the exact same can be said of the Ballad and the Quatrain. The new Ballad cardholder has got the same four card slots as our largest offering, the Quatrain, but without the folding action. In the middle of the mirrored design, you can find a substantial middle pocket to store cash or a couple more cards. Surprisingly to some, the Ballad still fits comfortably in a front pocket thanks to careful internal skiving and incredibly smooth, burnished edges. Like all of our custom cardholders, you have the freedom to go full "fashion designer" with our website's easy picker tools and choose leather color, thread, and a variety of edge treatments. The Ballad has become my daily carry thanks to its versatility, and we think it fills in a great niche with more capacity than the Dyad. We recommend up to 6 cards in the Ballad, and up to 4 if there is cash in the middle pocket.
Thanks for reading! All of our new designs are now available on the site at shopstudiohall.com with free shipping in the US. Please reach out with any questions, and we'll see you soon!
-Thomas