Furniture designer Stephen Kenn and the founders of denim studio, 3sixteen, were already great friends, so the collaborative process in developing the 3sixteen x Stephen Kenn Special Edition Custom Sofa and Chair evolved quite naturally. The special edition leather sofa and chair are based on Kenn’s signature Inheritance Collection with its exposed frame and belt strap aesthetic. Kenn and 3sixteen selected vegetable tanned leather from Chicago-based Horween tannery so that it would age and develop over time, in the same way that 3sixteen’s jeans age. 3sixteen had worked with Horween tannery for a line of leather jackets the brand developed in the past, but this was Kenn’s first time using Horween’s leather.
The natural vegetable Horween leather used on the Stephen Kenn x 3sixteen Two Seat Sofa and Stephen Kenn x 3sixteen Chair is uncolored and unfinished, so it will change color with exposure to sunlight and will absorb oils or colors from skin or clothing. In short, it will take on the patina of the owner’s life and grow and change with them. The frames for both of the pieces are constructed of antique brass, welded, and finished by a team of LA-based metal workers with decades of experience, while the belt strap, belt webbing, and cushion assembly are completed by local fabricators, as well. Custom orders are now being taken by both brands for the sofa and chair.
For info on another Horween leather product, check out the Huckberry and David Coggins Classic Boat Shoe.