Jasmine Clayton is a leather artist from South Portland, Maine. She runs Kurier, a small retail design studio in downtown Portland, where she designs and crafts high quality leather goods. She attended Maine College of Art and has worked in careers ranging from advertising to fine garment construction. Before opening her own studio, she held the position as studio assistant for the designer Jill McGowan.
Her focus is on designing and constructing high quality and functional leather handbags, accessories and homegoods. Her work is simple but made to satisfy the everyday needs of the user. “I try to make things that you want to use everyday. Simple, well crafted and functional. That’s one of the reasons I enjoy working with leather. It’s so durable – if taken care of, a well made leather bag will last forever. And unlike fabric, you never know how it’s going to react. Each hide has its own unique properties, so each part of the process varies from item to item. It can be a challenge sometimes, but that’s one of the benefits.”