Eat & Drink

Strip away your reservations for all things leather – it’s not just for cowboys nowadays thanks to Topanga eco-designer Fahmina Khundkar who’s tarnishing the thought that leather can’t be green or is only allowed during certain times of the day. The part-time Bangladesh model reconstructs gorgeous, handmade leather accessories from 95 percent reclaimed and pre-cycled leather. For her collection, she always has an eye out for defected (read: scratched or otherwise considered tainted) leather pieces – stuff factories toss away by the millions of tons – giving her “born-again” items more carbon offset than most leather. Plus, Fahmina avoids using new resources to manufacture, helping to reduce the impact of tossed clothing on our overwhelmed landfills.

Fahmina is known for having hand-shaped the first luxe fanny pack—the chic while utilitarian Fanny Clutch. She designs her signature product in a range of styles from hand-painted graffiti looks to funky and neon-colored to more traditional leather. With room for your keys, wallet and Chivas vegan lip balm, the Fanny Clutch is convenient and secure enough to take on a morning run, hike or rock-climb (interior pockets perfectly stash your dried seaweed or fruit strips).

With adjustable leather straps and heavy-duty metal snap closures to ward off even the quickest of purse snatchers, the clutch also makes the perfect item to carry onto the dance floor or out on the town (one of my top choices is the eggplant Aubergine clutch, or the metallic lined with silk .  Need to take up the glam a notch? Try Fahmina’s Iridescent Blue Wave clutch, made with uber soft lamb skin leather and antique gold snaps.

Wanna merchandise your outfit up? Fahmina also offers a mind-boggling array of leather accessories that fit nearly every taste like feather leather earrings, belts, Eye D bracelets , wallets, pendants and recycled leather chain necklaces. Her cuffs and bracelets also display her fearless carving handiwork.

Now, let’s see those cowboys don upcycled leather, like us green girls.

Fahmina is available on her site or at Fred Segal Santa Monica, Kitson LA, Cami, Firefly, Jennifer Kaufman, Sirens & Sailors and Native on Franklin.

Images via Fahmina Khundar