031. Luxe Rebel Leather Co.

February 2025

A story of crafting heirloom leather garments and redefining fashion as an art form.

We’ve long wanted to feature a leatherworker in the Journal, so when Bridie Rimmer reached out, we knew we had to share her story.

Through Luxe Rebel Leather Co., she’s on a mission to craft heirloom-quality pieces – handmade, rebellious, and built to stand the test of time. Here’s Bridie’s journey.

With 20 years of experience under my belt from attending college and university to studying for a BA in Fashion enterprise, as a creative I always knew I wanted to work for myself so I set up my own business which used to go by the name of Born to Thread. I worked on various bespoke garments from wedding dresses to bespoke clothing.

But it just wasn’t for me and I wanted to challenge myself more.

I always wanted to work with leather and 6 years ago, the idea of making custom leather jackets came to me when I discovered samples of leather that looked fun to work with.

I thought it would be interesting and a challenge to try and make one. With zero skills in working with leather, I taught myself how to make a jacket from an existing one and after many frustrating attempts, it worked!

I then developed the patterns to change them into a unique, rebellious, stylish piece. I am completely self-taught in working with leather. It’s not been an easy ride as it’s tricky to work with, especially if you make a mistake.

I've had opportunities to work with bands and singers to create unique pieces for them

In 2022 I transitioned from Born To Thread to Luxe Rebel Leather Co. as I wanted to be known as a leather company and reflect the products that I create.

Recently I have taken classes to learn the traditional way of hand-stitching and working with different tools and leather to develop my knowledge and expand my skills.

My team is just me – I wear many hats in my business from Chief Stitch Witch (my community of Luxe Rebels crowned me with that name and it stuck) to designer, social media manager, accountant and probably many more jobs – it can get very busy!

You can usually find me creating under a mass of leather in my home studio in the heart of North Yorkshire, my studio filled with an array of music but mostly Fleetwood Mac or Aerosmith.

I start the day with a cup of coffee and a moment of checking my to-do list and once my music goes on I usually get into the sewing zone and time flies by!

I find sewing so therapeutic and even though it is my job it does bring me moments of calm and relaxation – until something goes wrong and then the calm somewhat becomes frustration!

I offer a custom service where I create custom leather clothing and accessories. These more specialised pieces pull my clients’ personalities and styles into unique, timeless pieces that effortlessly enhance their wardrobes. Through this service, I have had opportunities to work with bands and singers to create unique pieces for them to wear on stage.

I also have my ready made pieces which are available on my website to buy – Leather jackets, bustiers skirts, handbags and accessories. I like to offer these products to customers who like to own a piece of LRLC while still feeling a part of the bespoke luxe rebel experience.

I’m passionate about the concept of heirloom fashion and being an advocate for a more sustainable and progressive approach to fashion and design. Each one of my products is hand-crafted and the longevity of leather as a fabric to design and create with is something that inspires me; each of my pieces is a future heirloom that I hope will be cherished for years to come.

each of my pieces is a future heirloom that I hope will be cherished for years to come.

Working with clients through my custom service is a truly memorable moment. Not only do I get to create their vision and bring it to life, but just seeing the look on their faces light up when they receive the final product and put it on, and knowing I created that for them is something special, that I can’t express.

But also hearing the feedback, even years later knowing they’re still rocking their custom piece makes it worthwhile. Also seeing my creations on stage is a bit surreal but very exciting at the same time.

Not everything is smooth sailing though. I have had orders where my machine has flipped out and marked the leather, or even cut the wrong piece, or sewed it in wrong – mistakes do happen but I like to see these as strong learning curves and what makes your skills stronger you also know what not to do next time!

My core values are to create handmade leather pieces that pull clients’ personalities and style into unique timeless pieces that effortlessly enhance their wardrobes, igniting their confidence & bring out the badass luxe rebels within them in a way that nothing else in the fast-fashion industry could.

We’ve all had that one item that we looked at when we were young and admired in our parent’s wardrobe so knowing that an item of clothing that you have had custom-made could be passed down and stories told is pretty unique.

In the future, I see myself banging the drum for heirloom fashion, celebrating the beauty and sustainability of timeless pieces that tell a story.

My vision is to craft more custom creations – pieces that are as unique as the people who wear them, blending bold individuality with lasting quality.

Through this, I hope to build an army of luxe rebels: people who defy fast fashion trends and embrace the art of personal expression, investing in garments that not only exude luxury but also stand the test of time.

Beyond creating, I’d also love to pass on my skills by teaching others about leatherwork and sewing, empowering them to bring their own ideas to life and continue the legacy of craftsmanship.

It’s about redefining fashion as both a legacy and a shared art form.

IMAGES ©Luxe Rebel Leather Co. 2025

What an exciting moment it must have been to see your work sparkling on stage. Thank you for sharing your inspiring story and mission with our readers Bridie. – Lyndsey

Do you have a founder story to share? We’d love to hear from you.

Submit your website and we’ll be in touch.