[From Berlin] Does Your Bag "Deteriorate" or "Evolve"? The Answer from NOWHOW Created by a Repair Artisan & a Stage Director

NOWHOW is a leather goods brand that was born in Berlin, Germany in 2021. NOWHOW STUDIO. The brand is led by a repair artisan specializing in shoes and small leather goods, and a stage art director. Both saw their careers come to a halt during the pandemic, and their encounter gave rise to a philosophy embodied in their bags: a focus on "now" and "how" to live in the present, resulting in bags that are "tools to nurture."

Their lack of formal fashion education enables them to design without being restricted by conventional norms. Their products are thoughtfully engineered to be "hard to break, easy to repair," utilizing the expertise of a repair craftsman. Most notably, the value of their bags increases the more you use them—embracing the beauty of change over time, rather than peaking at the moment of purchase. As slow fashion gains attention, the two are expanding their fanbase by offering an alternative to mass production. We asked them about the roots of their philosophy and their vision for the future.

How the Lockdown Sparked the Brand

What made you choose Berlin as your base?

Masafumi I worked in shoe repair in Tokyo for six years, but I strongly wanted to experience living overseas. At 30, I came to Berlin on a working holiday, and that was the start. After arriving, I worked at local repair shops and freelanced, repairing shoes and bags.

Sonoko I moved to Europe in 2007 to study contemporary dance at an art university in Rotterdam and have lived in Europe since then. After graduating, I worked as a dancer until 2019. From around 2017, I started working as a movement director for opera, and more recently, I've been involved in a broader range of stage production—costume, set design, and more. I've been based in Germany since 2014—initially in Frankfurt, then moving to Berlin in 2020.

How did two people from such different backgrounds end up launching NOWHOW?

Sonoko We met in the middle of the pandemic, at a time when both of our jobs had ground to a halt. Theater gigs I had booked two years in advance disappeared, and he had no shoe repair requests because everyone was staying home. During lockdown, with so much free time, we talked about trying to make something together.

We decided that if we were going to do it, we’d be fully committed for at least a year, so we decided on a brand name and logo, and created a cylindrical bag as our first product—one we could make entirely by ourselves. We realized we had similar aesthetics, and the strong response from friends to that first bag encouraged us to keep going.

Masafumi My work in repairs is usually about restoring things from -1 to 0, or 1 to 2, so I’d always wanted to try creating something from scratch—taking something from 0 to 1. By partnering with her, I felt empowered to take on challenges I couldn’t face alone.

What’s the meaning behind the brand’s name?

Sonoko As a dancer, I always focused on a future goal—each moment was just a step toward that future. But when the pandemic wiped everything away, I realized the future is built by making the most of the present. I shifted my motto: instead of striving for some distant goal, I’ve come to cherish what can emerge when I give my best to the present. That’s why we blended "now" and "how" to make the brand name.

Products that Approach Perfection Through Continued Use

Neither of you has received formal design education, so how do you approach design and crafting?

Masafumi While I have no experience in design or pattern making, my background as a repair craftsman, where I've disassembled various products, has given me a deep understanding of structure and durability. When we set out to create bags, one of the first decisions was to avoid using parts like buckles and zippers as much as possible. They are convenient, but inevitably, they're the parts most likely to break. Our use of a single long piece of leather to make a seamless handle—something large brands would never attempt—is, I believe, a characteristic feature of NOWHOW.

Sonoko Our creative process begins at leather trade fairs, picking out the materials we want to use. Having spent a lot of time in the Netherlands, I’m often inspired by simple yet slightly offbeat designs in objects, furniture, and architecture, and that definitely influences our work. From there, we start considering the practicality and usability of the bag. He brings my designs to life, and his sense of balance—refined from seeing so many bags—gives me total confidence, especially when it comes to sizing, handle placement, and belt width.

What is most important to you during production?

Sonoko We never compromise; we only release products that both of us wholeheartedly feel are "cool" or "stunning." We also pay special attention to how the bag looks and feels both when placed down and when held.

Masafumi What we aim for are products that evolve and grow over time. Instead of being 100 points when they’re on display or just purchased, they become even better as you use them, approaching perfection as they age. We want to continue offering bags as tools you "grow" with. That’s why we design them to be easy to repair and offer a five-year free repair guarantee, so you can keep using the bag even if something breaks.

Tell us about your commitment to the leathers that are so crucial to your products.

Masafumi Currently, we mainly use lambskin and bull hide nubuck from the south of France. For smaller goods, we use cowhide from Italy. All of these leathers are by-products of the meat industry and sourced from transparent tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group (LWG) with gold or silver ratings. This kind of leather doesn’t just last long—it develops rich character with use. It’s a superior material that "changes" rather than "deteriorates."

Moving Forward, Step by Step, While Treasuring Connections

Enjoying the aging of a product and having it repaired to be used for a long time fits with "NOWHOW"'s slow fashion philosophy. With that in mind, how do you approach the business side?

Masafumi Currently, we wholesale to select shops in Japan and take individual orders at pop-up events held about once a year. Everything is made to order—we don’t carry stock. Recently, we've started bringing in assistants to build a better production setup, but as I make the bags myself, our monthly output is limited. Still, we believe that making only what’s needed, with care, is sustainable and suited to our lifestyle.

In July, a collaboration with "ATON" was launched. It's ATON's first foray into leather goods—how did this collaboration come about?

Sonoko It all began in September 2023 at an "ATON" event held at the Berlin multi-brand shop "Andreas Murkudis," where I met director Kuzaki (Yasuharu) for the first time. After that, every time I was back in Japan, we would meet up for meals. At one dinner, he took a real liking to the nubuck leather on a bag I was carrying. Our shared passion for materials and craftsmanship led us to work together on a new series using that very nubuck.

Masafumi For the designs, we incorporated keywords and use-case images provided by Kuzaki, such as "a hand-carry tote bag suitable for a two-night trip" or "a style that pairs well with a blouson with wide armholes," and repeatedly developed prototypes. We ultimately created three items: a weekend tote, an east-west shoulder bag, and a key strap. These pieces feature premium details like using large, uncut sheets of leather and finishing the handles with the same material as the body, expressing our commitment to quality throughout the lineup.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of your brand. What are your goals moving forward?

Sonoko　To be honest, I didn’t expect the brand to grow this much in just four years. Since my "main job" has gotten busier as well, we've spent about a year discussing together how to approach "NOWHOW" from here on. We’re not considering outsourcing production to large factories to massively expand the brand, but in the future, we'd love to add one or two more artisans and establish our own production base.

As a brand, we're also considering going beyond bags and creating products related to living spaces, like furniture or lighting, through collaborations with other creators. We’ve also talked about challenging ourselves with launches in Asia and Europe, and are considering exhibiting at a showroom in Paris.

Masafumi　So far, we haven’t really set clear goals, but thankfully, new opportunities have naturally come our way each year. For example, we started wholesaling, joined the Japanese showroom "CEMENT," and decided to collaborate with "ATON." What we value most are "NOW" and "HOW," so we want to continue cherishing connections we’ve built, do our very best in our own style, and take steady steps forward.