Edinburgh: Tibor Eperjessy – Artisan Leather Craftsman

Written by Owen Hofman

Tibor Eperjessy is a Hungarian leather craftsman. He discovered leatherworking in the 1990s after being inspired by a traditional harness maker at an exhibition in Hungary. Tibor trained for six months under this craftsman before starting his own career. Leatherworking does not require many tools, so with a small investment Tibor could begin crafting. Twenty years later, Tibor relocated his business to the United Kingdom.

Tibor’s leatherworking now sits between art and business. He tries to balance his time between the repetitive work of keeping his store stocked with high-demand items like key fobs and belts, while also staying creatively inspired by making new items like bags and glasses cases.

We joked that you can always tell if an artist is inspired or just waiting. If their shop is clean and they have had time to hoover and dust, it means they are still waiting for inspiration to strike.