Islero was a legendary Miura, destined from the beginning to die a death reserved only for the sacred warrior. Fury and sweat, blood and bone, the massive bulk would charge forward to his demise meeting the sharp blade, feeling it push coldly,unwelcome into his body knowing it was over... His lungs and heart pierced, his soul escaping his physical form, he turns to face his murderer, sneers and plunges his horns forward striking the fatal blow that would fall the mighty Manolete, The Gladiator of the Bullring.
And so the story of Manolete and Islero goes, a magnificent warrior and the gargantuan bulk that toppled him 60 years ago. The Spanish Miura bulls are known for their girth and strength, their immovable bulk and angry brooding nature. Taking inspiration from this story I recreated Islero for a good client of mine. A massive lounger wrapped in Spanish Bullhide and Wool felt. The generous proportions of this unique piece are reminiscent of a bull, thick heavy and planted firmly on this earth. Unlike the real Islero however, this bull will only offer comfort and rest.
Spanish bullhide is a ridiculously heavy leather, over 1 cm thick it presents several unique challenges to fabrication. Especially when creating a piece with subtle yet purposeful curves. The biggest challenge is the amazing aroma, and buttery soft hand. One can hardly pull themselves away from constantly touching and smelling the leather. The oaky, scotchy, tobacco scents are infused with the memories of hundred year old libraries, probably in Europe somewhere... somewhere where they have really old dusty books and librarians that are slowly fossilizing... no electricity either, probably. Beyond that the weight and thickness offer much concern to even the most experienced sewer... me. I had to use my swissors to cut through the massive hides, and the sewing was carried out with the help of the Seiko walking foot... an ultra heavy duty compound feed machine used in the luggage and furniture trade. I was forced to use a 120 weight nylon thread, FYI the break strength is something like 300lbs... yes that is some strong thread! The needles I used resembled nails.
Below you will see some of the images from the cutting and sewing, I will be posting some photos of the finished lounger in coming days ... enjoy!
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| The Leather was no match for the mighty Swissor. The leather was so thick that the scissors actually stood up during the cut. |
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| Half the project was spent planning. |
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| Pieces are cut, like a distorted jigsaw puzzle. |
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| You can see even the sewing was carried out following the natural contour of the leather. |
It is a little difficult trying to explain this level of manufacture to the layperson. This kind of fabrication requires so many varied skills from the understanding of volume, patternmaking, upholstery, tailoring, leatherwork etc. Plus one must have access to all the necessary tools and equipment. I must thank my client whose faith in our skills to produce such a magnificent piece of furniture made it possible.
:)