Experimental work with sheepskin, vegetable-tanned leather and alternative embossing techniques featured in this year’s Skin Innovation Awards at De Montfort University (DMU), an event supported by the Worshipful Company of Curriers to promote emerging talent in leathercraft.
The 2025 winner was final-year student Michael Genao, who impressed judges with a sculptural sheepskin jacket (pictured) inspired by Kukeri, a Bulgarian ritual involving fur costumes and dance. Drawing on his Bulgarian and New York upbringing, Mr Genao combined traditional motifs with contemporary design, also producing a second piece that featured embroidered runes to evoke graffiti-style expression.
The Curriers, one of London’s ancient livery companies, continue to support education in leather and celebrate excellence in leather finishing, a craft central to their heritage.
Two students were named Distinguished Runners Up: Eden Lissart-Jones, who used vegetable-tanned leather, wet moulding and laser cutting to explore the scale and unpredictability of avalanches, and Samantha Gillett-Jones, who developed her own embossing method using acrylic moulds and a printing press. Her floral leatherwork was also recognised at the 2025 Leathersellers Awards.
DMU is one of the UK institutions helping to keep traditional leatherworking skills alive. The Skin Innovation Awards form part of this effort, encouraging students to engage with leather as both a technical and expressive material.
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