‘THE PUBS OPENED AT FIVE IN THE MORNING… THERE WAS A REAL ATMOSPHERE’
The idea of the family business is an evocative notion, and one that holds plenty of kudos in the luxury goods industry. Hefty price tags imply that handiwork and great care has gone into a product’s creation, yet this is not necessarily the case with large corporations who may boast prestigious names yet proffer massproduced wares that rarely live up to customers’ expectations. Familyrun businesses tend to be the antithesis of this. In the best ones, the focus is often less on the bottom line and more on quality and integrity. And then there’s the romance of the family business, how the company is passed through the generations, each time evolving subtly when a more youthful member steps in. Ettinger is one such brand, and, well into its eighth decade, continues to set the benchmark for handcrafted, meticulously detailed leather goods.
Founded in 1934 by a charismatic man of the world, Gerry Ettinger, his eponymous brand would quickly
