HERZ
Hand-stitched leather bags, two leathers, five colors, Tokyo since 1973
Philosophy
Japanese leather bag maker since 1973. Clean, functional designs built to last decades.
History
Tokyo, 1973. A small leather goods workshop opens in the Shibuya district. The concept is radical for the industry: two types of leather. Five colors. That's it. No nylon, no canvas, no exotic leather. Vegetable-tanned cowhide, latigo leather, and a choice of voluntary constraints that defines each item.
HERZ makes to order. Each bag is cut, sewn, and assembled by hand in their Japanese workshops. Not one workshop: five, spread across Japan. Wear points are doubled, seams reinforced. Vegetable-tanned leather is chosen for its ability to develop a patina over time. A new HERZ bag is stiff and light-colored. Five years later, it is supple, dark, and it is yours in a way no industrial bag ever will be.
The Shibuya flagship store, opened in 2014 for the 40th anniversary (the anniversary is celebrated early in Japan), is designed as an open workshop. The back of the store is a visible workshop: customers watch the artisans cut, sew, hammer. The sounds echo in the shop. It's live theater, but not a performance: that's really how the bags are made.
Carryology, the global benchmark for carry, describes the quality as "extremely high". On enthusiasts: "very high quality, unpretentious leathercraft". On Superfuture: "well made, functional and rugged, yet modish enough as to not look like I just walked out of an Indiana Jones film set." That's exactly it. HERZ makes Japanese utilitarian leather, not decorative leather.
Until recently, HERZ bags were almost impossible to find on the second-hand market. Owners don't resell. It's the ultimate sign: when no one parts with an item, it's because it keeps its promises.
Prices start around 70,000 yen (approximately 450 euros). For Japanese handmade, vegetable-tanned leather, and an item that will last twenty years, it's fair. The only drawback: ordering from abroad is possible but the website is mainly in Japanese, and manufacturing times are long. HERZ doesn't adapt to you. You adapt to HERZ.
Iconic Products
Cartella Mini 3-Way
Unisex 3-way bag: backpack, shoulder, hand carry. Vegetable-tanned leather that patinas over time. HERZ's best-seller, functional, sober, indestructible.
Organ
Structured leather backpack, urban format. Clean silhouette, padded back, laptop compartment. For those who want leather at the office without looking like a 1985 Sorbonne professor.
Deux Tons Messenger
Two-tone messenger bag, HERZ's visual signature. Two differently colored leathers in a classic format. Solid brass buckle closure. The bag Tokyo street photographers carry.