Via La Moda

Where We’ve Come From
Founded in 1989, Via La Moda is a leader in Johannesburg in the fine art of leather goods manufacture. The city of gold, Johannesburg, was selected due to the access to high-quality raw materials and a pool of talent that would be moulded into artisans of distinction.

Sought after across Africa and as far afield as the Eastern markets of Japan and Australia, Via La Moda develops both its own lines to appeal to clients and can collaborate with international luxury brands as well as niche maisons to develop bespoke ranges. Each exquisite design is an investment piece that is fashioned to be both functional and timeless.

Via La Moda creates a leather range that is reserved for discerning clientele seeking authentic leather that is true to African heritage, including Nile Crocodile Hornback, Ostrich, Python, Karung and other exotic leathers. Over time, the marque has naturally evolved with styles tailored to meet international trends and in sourcing compliance with only the most reputable and ethical suppliers of skins and raw materials.

The principles of the understated founder, master craftsman Hanspeter Winklmayr, are reinforced in the consistent application of exacting standards and traditional methods to ensure a product meets international standards.

Spurred on by chronicling 300 years of saddling prowess, the Winklmayr dynasty have perpetuated in each artisan at Via La Moda an instinctive appreciation for the craft of fine leather goods.
Vision
Via La Moda is recognised as a top-class leather craft company producing some of the finest ostrich leather as well as crocodile hornback leather bags and accessories available. The quality and craftsmanship of our leather products is evident by our selective client base.

The combination of predominantly European influence and rich African heritage has resulted in the perfect leather articles we create.

Via La Moda offers outstanding quality products and excellent value to clients seeking the most prestigious ostrich and crocodile hornback leather bags and accessories.

We proudly create articles of this standard and invite you to become a part of our defining culture.

In Harmony With Nature
OSTRICH LEATHER is uniquely soft and pliable and this improves the more you handle your ostrich accessory.

Ostrich leather is recognised by the unique pattern enhanced by the feather quills. These quill marks are also confirmation of its authenticity.

Ostriches are the largest flightless bird with an ability to reach a running speed of at least 60km/hour. As these birds are reared in their natural habitat this can result in injuries which may appear on the final leather as a small scar.
The tanning and colouring process of our ostrich skins further enhances the natural attributes of ostrich leather.

Our ostrich leather finishing is termed full aniline finish. Full aniline finish uses a minimum quantity of colour pigments to cover the grain ensuring that your leather remains a natural product. This finish preserves the character of the skin as reflected in the occasional unique marks and colour variations.

Today, ostrich leather is used by the most famous fashion brands in the world. With the world’s fashion interest stemming from ostrich feathers, this opened the door for ostrich leather as an expression for fashion, opulence and the truly wealthy.

Our skilled artisans are known for their ability to choose the correct skins in terms of colour, grade and quill patterns for each individual article. The skill enhances the intricate handbag designs that allow customers to have their own unique piece of art.

NILE CROCODILE is one of the most luxurious of the exotic leather and owes it rarity to the revered reptiles from which it’s drawn. Crocodile accessories are the most sought after in international fashion collections.

CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is also known as the Washington Convention. CITES exists to protect endangered species and affects trade in crocodile and python across international borders. Products made of leather from protected species require both an export permit from the exporter and an import permit by the importer granted by the relevant conservation bodies within each country. We comply with CITES regulations

Different parts of the leather have varying appeal. We at Via La Moda use Hornback.

HORNBACK is the more resilient and distinctive crocodile leather and is characterised by the raised armoured scales that define this historic animal. We offer clients a more natural Safari finish. The matt surface perfectly suits the rugged nature of this crocodile material. It is interesting to note the appearance of the tough overlapping feature of the tightly packed “horns” of the back of the animal. These horns serve as a form of protection.

Via La Moda makes use of Burmese as well as reticulated PYTHON skins. Pythons have an unusual patterned skins and are tremendously durable lending themselves to diverse range of applications. The Python is native to South East Asia.

Our Brand


The Via La Moda brand is synonymous with a certain progressive chic embodied in the styles put out each season.

Innovative designs crafted to very high standards using genuine exotic leathers native to Africa. This is the spirit of Via La Moda, the “avenue of fashion”.

Hanspeter Winklmayr, Master Craftsman and founder, still works today using traditional European methods that are becoming increasingly lost in the modern world. Aimed at the sophisticated individual, the brand’s image in conceived in continental Europe and its products created from its South African Platform.

The genuine exotic skins are used in combination with the imported fittings from prestigious designers in Italy and elsewhere around the world.

Variety in colour and texture is preferred in the Via La Moda design concept. The result is an array of style choices ranging from classic understated elegance to edgy ambition.


The Family.


Our Range of Products

For decades, Via La Moda has remained fashionably unique by designing and crafting ostrich leather handbags, crocodile leather handbags and accessories in line with Europe’s most popular seasonal bag trends and colours. Great attention to detail in the areas of leather craft and quality ensure genuine value and have made the Via La Moda collections the choice of some of the World’s finest fashion houses. You are invited to experience the vast range of designer bags, wallets, purses and belts available to you.

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