Meurthe-et-Moselle. Leather goods in Tucquegnieux: Angélique creates her accessories from leather and love

A small courtyard with lilacs faces a workshop still under construction. A new life begins here for Angélique Beaupuits. Purses, dog collars, belts, key rings, jewelry, she is busy preparing the weekend stock. "Weekdays in the workshop, weekends at the markets or exhibitions . That's my summer rhythm! But as Confucius said: Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a single day in your life ." This adage seems to be tailored for her, like a belt at her waist. The smile never leaves the face of the new leatherworker.

My encounter with leather began as a hobby. “Several years ago, I was doing medieval art. To make replicas, I taught myself how to work with leather,” explains Angélique Beaupuits. More recently, health problems forced Angélique to leave her profession, taking up industrial electrical work. “A skills assessment confirmed that I couldn’t work in an office. I had to do something with my hands, create something. I trained in shoemaking, then in leatherwork to consolidate my skills.”

Now based in Tucquegnieux, Angélique is enjoying it. “Working at home is priceless. Starting with raw material and creating the object I imagined is magical.” At her home, there are no large machines; everything is done by hand, including the seams. “Sewing by hand has something meditative about it. The task requires a lot of concentration and precise movements. You’re 100% in the present, otherwise you get hurt!”

Leather has a tough life in the face of vegan pressure, but Angélique believes in the future of this once-noble material. "For me, it's a way of reusing a waste product from the meat industry. Vegan leather is made from petroleum. I'm not sure it's more environmentally friendly. And we can't make the same products," says the leatherworker. As for outlets, Angélique's world is geared toward the canine world. "I make a lot of dog collars; I have a partnership with a concept store in Metz. I also repair horse riding equipment. I also get orders for custom bags, purses, and jewelry."

Another, more unusual, opportunity presents itself to her! "I have to prepare a stock for the erotic fair in Metz ! Leather is present in so many areas!" laughs Angélique. "To get started, I'm casting my net wide. We'll see which market is the most promising!"