NAVEGADOR P-J.H.

Category: Apparel

NAVEGADOR P-J.H. imagines PJ Harvey retreating to my family's farmhouse in Portugal to write her next album, fusing her rebellious artistic energy with the architecture, craftsmanship and cultural heritage of my Avô's hand-built home. Portuguese tile motifs taken directly from his floors, kitchen, bathroom and exterior walls were transformed into digitally etched leather surfaces, preserving fragments of place and memory through contemporary craftsmanship. At the heart of the collection is 50FT QUEENIE, an oversized leather coat developed from reclaimed upholstery leather offcuts. A bespoke digital pattern-matching workflow was created to align every individual leather panel before construction, allowing intricate Portuguese tile motifs to flow seamlessly across complex seams as one continuous architectural surface. Working with irregular reclaimed leather increased the number of pattern pieces required, transforming material limitations into a richly layered composition while maximising the value of every hide. Innovation extended beyond surface design through precision leather construction, engineered shoulder structures and material experimentation across the wider collection, including sculptural copper pipe developed in collaboration with the university engineering department. Sustainability informed every stage of the project. Deadstock upholstery leather was selected for its exceptional durability, repairability and ability to develop a rich patina over time, creating garments designed to become more beautiful with wear rather than be replaced. Material waste was further reduced through digital planning, efficient etching trials and the selective replacement of only damaged leather sections during production. The collection demonstrates how digital innovation, traditional craftsmanship and responsible material choices can transform reclaimed leather into contemporary heirlooms that preserve both cultural heritage and the enduring value of real leather.

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