It started with a challenge as we sat around the table with our tanners at their centuries-old facility. "How can we specially develop the brightest, most vibrant blue while sticking to the natural, vegetable-tanned process?"

After all, blue, according to the iconoclastic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, is the color of “electricity and pure love.” These��two desirable yet elusive elements are found in everything we do, and��we needed them to be embodied in our new electric blue hue.��

After several tries, the �IJ���̳ electric blue was born. Its birth marked a welcome, vibrant departure from our more traditional, neutral tones. It gives��our palette a little burst of energy��without being too overbearing--like that much-needed espresso that's ordered at��3 pm on a Wednesday. It's alive, striking, exotic.��

It's also awfully rare. It's nearly impossible to find such a color because of the difficulty involved in achieving it.��Most blues of similar hue are surface treated and chemically dyed. Ours is fully struck through, with layers of translucent color culminating in a bright, natural surface.��

Explore the annals of art history and you'll find electric blue popping up throughout. Consider Renaissance artist Titian.��He insisted upon using pure ultramarine pigment in his artwork, despite its costliness and elusiveness.

Twentieth-century French artist Yves Klein contemplated the afternoon sky and was so struck by its brilliance that he chemically developed and patented��his own��now-famous shade, .��

Image Credit:��© Charles Wilp / BPK, Berlin

La grande Anthropométrie bleue (ANT 105), ca. 1960

And let's not forget Frida, whose Blue��House in the Coyoacán neighborhood of Mexico City played host to��her birth, her life, and her death. It now serves as a museum dedicated to her art.��

In bringing such a color into our own palette, we’re hoping��to capture��what Yves, Frida, and others did so well--create something��of organic, striking, thoughtful beauty that permeates not just the end result, but the means as well. It's really more than just a simple color.��

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In 1975 Toluca, Mexico, a huge indoor marketplace closed down and its fate became uncertain. Instead of allowing this gorgeous but empty building to languish and deteriorate under the effects of time, a local artist by the name of Leopoldo Flores decided to transform it into his own personal labor of love, something I find incredibly inspiring.

Both a botanical garden and a stained glass masterpiece, the Cosmovitral is a visual representation of humanity’s inherent connection to nature and the world around us. Its realization took years, as the building had to be almost completely restructured, but the artist ultimately succeeded in converting this desolate place into a vision of harmony and enduring splendor.

I’m fascinated by this massive work of art not only because of its raw beauty, but also due to the fact that it was born out of a desire to bring life back to a fading entity. Flores’s persevering creativity generated something wonderful through modernizing the dated but storied art form that is stained glass.��

from on .

Take a walk through our shop as we make a Tripp bag from start to finish.��

Noma No More: Why after 12 years of groundbreaking food Noma is shuttering its doors.

Floating Points:��Sam Shepherd aka Floating Points muses on Debussy and Bill Evans in an interview with Pitchfork ��
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80 Years��of Penguin Books: A look at the legacy of Penguin Books

Fall Shades: Selectism takes a look at Moscot's new archival silhouettes for Fall.

Each week, a member of our team picks that one thing he or she is obsessing over. This week, CEO Ellen McNulty-Brown is��loving Billie Holiday’s studio session outtakes.

Lady Day walked into Columbia Records studio in February of 1958 to collaborate with arranger Ray Ellis for her last album. ��For me, it is the outtakes included from Lady in Satin’s studio sessions that make the act of listening to this album so special. ��

Her grainy laugh punctuates the last 15 seconds of Sinatra’s “I’m a Fool to Want You”-Take One, right before she sings her thoughts to the guys in the booth. The sound of voices emanates from the booth, providing real-time direction. There is beauty in all of this for me. ��

Some might find it tedious to listen to multiple iterations of the same song, but in doing so, I think we truly get to experience the extraordinary development of an artist--exploring, agonizing over each detail, and seeking the path where perfection can be realized.

-Ellen McNulty-Brown

The leather tannery sits on the same plot of land as it has for the past three centuries. It’s seen generations of workers pass through its doors while still remaining owned and operated by one family. They’ve all shared an inspiring commitment to quality and an inherent pride in the leather they produce.

It’s only natural that those who contribute so greatly to the first step of the �IJ���̳ process strive for the same level of perfection that we do. Great leather is the lifeblood of a great leather bag.

We walk through its grounds and see age-old techniques and sophisticated modern innovations acting as strong bedfellows. They respect and balance each other. The first adheres to tradition and quality; the second embraces efficiency and gently respects the environment.

The root of tanning the best leather comes from a literal root—that belonging to the eucalyptus tree. The oils from its bark are extracted and set aside for the final steps of the tanning process. Then each cut tree is used as fuel for the fire that heats the water used for the tanning up to its proper temperature.

The particular (in both senses of the word) dyeing process we use protects the natural grains. Because the hides are uncorrected, the grains are just that—natural. They vary from piece to piece.

The bark on the tree is ground to a powder, done so to properly extract the tannins, which act as catalysts that stiffen and tan the leather.

After the hides have been soaked in the heated water, that used water is pumped to a resting pool. The natural particles from the leather sink to the bottom, and the clean water on top is then reused. The natural, sunken sediment is then extracted and used as fertilizer for the planting of new eucalyptus trees, bring the process full circle. It’s remarkable in its adherence to the full utilization of every possible element.

Take a walk through the tannery with me to see it yourself:

Eucalyptus, a��flowering tree, that naturally contains tannins.

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Barkless Eucalyptus

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The water tank.

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A drum for soaking.

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Leather at an early stage in the tanning process.

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Tanned leather, ready for dye.

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Vegetable dyes.

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The afternoon sunlight shining through��leather scraps.

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A precision dyeing machine.

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Leather is stretched by the "spoaking" method.

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"Electric Blue"

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Freshly tanned and dyed��leather.

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Always finish with a��thorough��inspection, and admire the fruits of your labor!

As time went on, the monogram trickled down to artisans and craftsmen who left their mark on their work with their monogram. By Victorian era, it had hit the masses. It was on items both��sartorial��(shirts, pants)��and residential (sheets, curtains).

Ancient Roman coins with the monogram of Emperor Theodosius sit next to 19th century French monograms

Over its history, the monogram has taken on different forms. Historically, the letters in a monogram have been interwoven, with each one hugging the other in wriggling form. Embellishments have wavered from the minimal to the extreme. But no matter its design,��the monogram has always marked a��form of ownership of something outside the self.��

Yet the 20th century rise of the instantly recognizable logo, often meant to evoke luxury and prominence, put the monogram in a supporting role. It was no longer��the vehicle to say "this is who I am!" to the world. Something else less personal and more ephemeral had usurped it. The replacement representation brought disparate people together on the shaky pretense that they shared a taste for something similar. But it was a hollow familiarity, a false idea that a logo separate from the self��could come to be that person.��

A gradual rejection of the overly branded and vulgar has brought the personal touch of a monogram back in fashion. Its a personal touch that we love. When we refer to a monogram on a �IJ���̳ bag, we're being a bit deceptive. The letters are not intertwined, nor does the surname take a larger, more prominent role in the middle.

Ours is a minimal, modern take on the classic monogram. The letters are the same font and the same size. Discretion conquers gaudiness, while still being a mode of self expression.��

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It is our recognition that the most prominent branding on a great leather good should be its owners initials. As this generation gradually gives way to the next, a third-party logo or brand will most likely have little importance. But something with the monogram or its original owner is, like a name itself, something that��transcends time more than an impersonal, third-person representation.��

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There's only so much traveling and working to be done. When my briefcase and duffle��are themselves decompressed and at rest, I break out my��comfort clothes.��

Soon, nights and mornings will be crisp and cool, and I'll be��spending more time with��favorite pieces of cloth: my Sleepy Jones pajamas. Sleepy Jones is the latest baby of the consummate creative Andy Spade, and it's a baby trained��to always peacefully��sleep through the night. Each pajama set��is classically designed and expertly made of the finest and softest materials. (Sounds familiar, doesn't it?)��

Putting on my Sleepy Jones��instantly transports me to a world of groggy comfort, where stress is a foreign language and I am in charge of my own��leisurely destiny. Sometimes I pretend I'm waking up or dozing off at one of my favorite hotels, settled in after hours of arduous travel. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to be doing just that. Other times I'm content in my own comfortable home, not thinking about the moment when the pajamas will be tucked away and the world will call once again.��

Shop Sleepy Jones .

Achieving perfection��is something that takes time. And that exact time is something that Bloomberg Businessweek documented as they visited��our shop recently. The final tally to make our classic English Briefcase? 465 minutes from start to finish.��

Your Invited,

Browse and shop �IJ���̳'s high-quality leather��briefcases, bags, and leather goods at the Pop-Up Flea's final stop of 2014.

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THE GRAND POOBAH OF POP UP FLEA EVENTS, NOW IN ITS SIXTH YEAR OF STRENGTH.��

DECEMBER 12-14, 2014��NEW YORK CITY

The Pop-Up Flee comes back to New York for its sixth time��at the Metropolitan Pavillon. This year, they've had PUF in Detroit, Tokyo, and London.

�IJ���̳ is��proudly showcasing our leather goods among many other strong businesses in this region, it is a lot of fun. Come for free Monogramming and see styles exclusive to the Pop-Up Flea.

The �IJ���̳ bags, accessories, and briefcases pictured below are perfect for the season. Leather's��simplicity is comforting; it's a universally pleasing material. The origins of this craft remind us of the organic ways our ancestors fulfilled their needs. Walking out your front door with �IJ���̳'s vegetable-tanned leather is befitting any era.

The magazine represent an arsenal of ideas. Fittingly, our handmade leather bags are displayed with a vast array of leather goods, in these four publications celebrating the return of Fall.

Vanity Fair Magazine. �IJ���̳ Backpack in Chocolate. "Perfect bags for any occasion, whether he’s on his way to the boardroom or the racquet club."

GQ Magazine. Leather Lock Briefcase in Green

Bloomberg Businessweek Leather Zip-Top Briefcase in Chestnut

"The New Briefcase! 16 Structured Satchels for Men and Women. This season’s best bags are big enough to hold more than 'just the essentials.' They’ll withstand any commute’s abuse, thanks to thick leather, locking metal clasps, and reinforced top handles that lend some retro charm."

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Man of the World Magazine.��See if you can spot the �IJ���̳ iPad Mini Case and Zipper iPad Pouch in Tan among the organized chaos of handsome men's accessories.��

��'s��Kristian Laliberte provides��imaginative descriptions and details,��like��"sleek rusticity".��

�IJ���̳ is made in America from start to finish.��Laliberte describes process and offers factoids,��"Splitting, skiving, gluing, stitching, polishing, sanding, polishing again, and painting happening in-house, sourced from vegetable tanned leather (if you’re unfamiliar, only around��10% of all the leather produced in the world is vegetable tanned)."

Laliberte writes, "Kitted out with solid brass hardware, the beauty of this buy is that it can do double-duty as an office briefcase, a smart gym bag, a grad school book holder, a plane carry-on…its’ sleek rusticity fits all the situations you can throw at it"

Essential Homme is just what it sounds like. A men's magazine about the��essentials, writing articles exploring the heights of��fashion, culture, entertainment, and more.

On July 8th, 's Sam Del Rowe��shared his thoughts in an article titled "�IJ���̳ Revives All-Leather Backpack"

The article reads, "Joe and Rick �IJ���̳, brothers and the design team behind �IJ���̳, have been preserving traditional American craftsmanship for generations. The pair sites their parents and grandparents as primary influences on their commitment to producing high-quality, made-in-America leather goods. Now the brand has reissued its particularly popular leather backpack after months of backorders, appealing to men seeking an alternative to the ubiquitous messenger bag or traditional briefcase. Formerly a wait-list only item, the bag is available now, and we suggest you hurry given its previous popularity and limited availability."

Del Rowe goes on to describe the Leather Backpack, "Constructed of vegetable-tanned leather in the brand’s Norwalk, Connecticut factory, the backpack is a marriage of aesthetics and functionality. Three separate interior pockets, including a zippered one, are perfect for storing a laptop and documents. Additional exterior pockets at the top and back easily hold a tablet, passport, or other small items that require easy access. Yet all this storage space hardly sacrifices style: with a fully leather interior and gold-tone buckles, this backpack easily compares to any briefcase. So if you’re still using your backpack from high school (you know, the one with all those extraneous straps and buckles intended for mountaineering), look no further and wait no longer for an upgrade."

We thoroughly enjoyed getting Kristian and Sam's point of view on the Leather Backpack.

Two of our favorite leather pieces are considered top picks for gifts this holiday.��Selectism's article entitled��"Buyer's Guide 20 Gift Ideas for Father's Day" has placed our English Leather Briefcase on their list. Selectism shared��some of the pieces best features, "America’s �IJ���̳ cross the pond in search of inspiration and come back with their handmade English Leather Brief Case. A classic style expertly crafted with a double-gusseted structure, a six-layer leather handle and solid-brass buckles attached to straps that wrap around the bag. Available in a variety of colors."

In another article titled "35 Stylish Father's Day Gifts For EVERY Type Of Dad" by��Who What Wear,��the �IJ���̳��Bifold Wallet was listed among a myriad of interesting gifts, from shorts to shave cream (all of which would fit great in a bag by �IJ���̳). Our Leather Bifold Wallet��received an amusing anecdote reading, "A classic leather wallet is to men what black pumps are to women: necessary. "��We couldn't agree more.

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Finally, the moment we've all been waiting for: The official �IJ���̳ recommendation for The Best Father's Day Gift goes to the Leather Travel Kit.

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Enjoy your Father's Day on Sunday, June 15th.

"If you pack on the light side, this large duffel can hold a week's worth of clothing in style. Its leathercraft is simple, sleek, and refined, and its hardware minimal: just a long zip for full access and an adjustable shoulder strap.", from��Men's Journal.

There are few things more rewarding than being recognized for our passion of��handcrafting quality leather bags.

Amanda recognizes��that �IJ���̳'s commitment to quality takes these pieces to a league all their own. She writes, "This simple, traditional bag is made in entirely in New England by experienced artisans, which gives the piece a sense of place and history that a more mass-produced bag might not have."

Taking pride in your handcrafted bag will undoubtedly add to your travel experiences this Spring and Summer.

Enjoy the entire article��.

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Her good humor is always appreciated. An excerpt from her blog reads, "Work brought me here but I’ve finished up and plan to spend the next 48 hours touring the city’s whiskey bars and French bistros. My kind of weekend! I’ve been packing this outfit as my go-to during my many travels. [...] I can cram my whole life into my �IJ���̳ tote pretty much. Honestly at this point it is an all-in-one portable trash can and suitcase."

Jane's photos are a perfect representation of the versatility of �IJ���̳ Tote Bags. Jane's femininity is nicely complimented by the handsome chestnut handbag.

�IJ���̳ is proud to make��strong and durable bags that can handle it all.

Photos courtesy Sea of Shoes.

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See this picture and others at his blog .

Greer, Signature Duffle Block Island, RI