Ettinger
It was back in 1934 when the leather products manufacturer "Ettinger" was established. Its first founder, Gerry Ettinger, used to produce films in Germany and Italy when he decided to shift his activities towards creating a variety of high-end gifts in the UK. It's been thanks to the products’ high quality and attentive craftsmanship that Ettinger has become a symbol of innovation and quality.
The company’s business was forced to a halt due to WWII in the 1940s. After the end of war, Gerry made his way back to London and resumed his business with more determination and success, taking renovation and international trade in consideration.
The 1950s and '60s witnessed the true beginning of the Ettinger Company we know today; Gerry was able to innovate and export his products through traveling across borders to neighboring European countries, which gave the company a huge push forward. But the company’s future's deciding event was acquiring a modest manufacturer of leather goods that dated back to the 19th century. Gerry has exploited the newly acquired business to transform G. Ettinger Ltd to the Ettinger we know today.
During the 1970s and 1980s Ettinger witnessed a constant growth which helped it become one of the most notable houses devoted to the design and manufacture of leather goods in Britain. In 1975, they launched their first leather goods collection: the Saddle Hide Collection.
Ettinger underwent many changes when Robert, Gerry’s elder son, took over the company’s administration in the 1990s and followed on his father’s footsteps. Robert has preserved the traditional aspect of the company while bringing a more contemporary feeling to the designs. He has also worked on expanding the company by developing business branches in the US, Australia, South Africa, Asia, Korea and Japan. This is how Ettinger has really become international.
Two years later, in 1992, and after continued efforts, Ettinger secured the distinguished Wimbledon License for a variety of products. Since then, the Wimbledon collection has been witnessing a tremendous growth.
In 1996, the Ettinger Company was appointed a Royal Warrant to HRH the Prince of Wales in recognition of the work carried out for the Royal Household.
The 2000s were pretty generous and rewarding to the Ettinger Company as they:
- Launched an award winning collection called TT in 2000; this collection was designed in jointly with PearsonLloyd.
- Were admitted into the British Luxury Brands organization, Walpole, in 2001.
- Launched the Lifestyle Collection, which brought back simplicity and softness to the Ettinger products, in 2005. They also launched the Bentley Collection in collaboration with the worldwide renowned cars manufacturer Bentley in the same year.
- The year 2007 witnessed their showroom makeover and the launch of the Antique Collection which featured hand-buffed leather.
- Ettinger would usually employ the London Tan color for their products interior, so they thought about renovation by launching the Purple Collection, which used purple instead, in 2008.
Through their 70 years of existence, Ettinger has remained a family-owned company that produces handcrafted products. The secret to their success is their attention to detail and use of the finest leather in the making of their goods. They also use the best craftsmen and women who stay in training for a full 5 years, so it’s no surprise that Ettinger continues to be one of the most luxurious leather goods manufacturers in the UK.
