Christine Lau of Cleathercrafts: A Language Shaped by Hand

For Christine Lau, leather becomes a place where imagination, memory and personal stories can be carried forward through The Artist’s Hand, a SIGNICIA editorial series.

Christine Lau is the artisan and illustrator behind Cleathercrafts, a practice bringing together hand illustration, leathercraft and bespoke foil stamping. For The Artist’s Hand, a SIGNICIA editorial series, Christine brings her creative language into dialogue with the SIGNICIA statement piece. Her visual language is whimsical and instinctive, guided by the movement of the brush, the character of the material and the stories shared by the people she creates for.

The collaboration places Christine’s illustrated foil-stamping practice onto the SIGNICIA luggage handle, part of the interchangeable Identity Capsule through which owners can shape the expression of their statement piece. Using bespoke illustrated stamps and metallic foil, she transforms a familiar point of contact into a personal mark.

Photos courtesy of Christine Lau.

How did your artistic practice begin, and what first drew you to leather?

I began as many artists do: as a child drawing on every scrap of paper I could find. I gravitated towards film and entertainment and eventually became a game artist. My love for film stayed with me, and I became fascinated by the leather armour and props of fantasy culture. That was what made me want to try creating my own artistic, fantastical leathercraft.

How would you describe your artistic language?

My artistic language is whimsical and wild. It is about being free-flowing with a brush and pen, and seeing where the material takes me. Through experimentation and practice, I have developed my own way of bringing different mediums together, whether I am working directly on leather or creating an illustrated stamp for gold foiling.

Where do ideas for your work usually begin?

I love collaborating with clients, listening to their ideas and responding with my own suggestions. Their stories are the most important part of the artwork. My role is to help shape those ideas into something that can live beautifully as a crafted piece.

Which themes do people connect with most strongly?

My clients often gravitate towards nature with a touch of fantasy. Pet owners may want their companions immortalised in a keychain, while someone inspired by travel might choose a hand-carved map on a notebook cover. The subjects are varied, but they are always deeply personal.

Photos courtesy of Christine Lau.

What do you hope someone feels when receiving and carrying your work?

I hope my pieces take people to a place of happiness in their imagination: memories of good times with their pets or families, or perhaps a world of fantasy that is meaningful to them.

What do you hope people discover about leathercraft through your work?

Leather is timeless, much like memories relived in a dream. With care, a leather piece can last for more than a lifetime. The moments captured through the artwork can endure with it.

What do you hope to carry forward through your practice?

I hope handmade craft continues to encourage people to imagine and see endless possibilities in the objects they use every day. Knowing that something I create may become a treasured possession means the world to me.

Photos courtesy of Christine Lau.

Cleathercrafts in Dialogue with SIGNICIA

The SIGNICIA handle gives Christine's work a highly visible and tactile place within the statement piece. Her approach treats the handle not as an accessory to decorate, but as a surface that must remain legible, personal and considered through repeated use.

Photos courtesy of Christine Lau.

What interested you about bringing your work onto a SIGNICIA handle?

Hand-illustrated leather is still uncommon, and placing the work prominently on a handle makes it a statement. Because the handle is so visible, it is an honour to bring my work onto it.

How does working on something repeatedly held and carried influence your approach?

The artwork needs to remain visible and protected as much as possible. I use specialist gold-foil machinery for the application, while also helping recipients understand that handcrafted artwork should be treated with care as it experiences wear over time.

How does your own SIGNICIA reflect your identity?

I am drawn to the utilitarian character of the case and its resemblance to silver flight cases. As an artist and a tool user, I value functionality, hardiness and personality. I look forward to making my case my own through handwritten stickers and illustrated characters.

What should someone feel when choosing one of your designs?

I hope they feel that they stand out. Choosing to have an artist work on a piece by hand is part of the experience. Hand-embossed luggage also carries a nostalgic quality, recalling crafted tags and suitcases from the golden years of early flight travel.

Photos courtesy of Christine Lau.

Three Marks of Singapore

For the collaboration, Christine developed three illustrated foil-stamp choices inspired by familiar Singapore symbols and moments. Each design may be personalised with up to two letters in a choice of gold or silver foil.

UNIQUELY SINGAPORE		Your initials beside one of Singapore's most recognisable residents. Inspired by the return of the smooth-coated otter to Singapore's waterways, the design celebrates a native resident that has become an affectionate icon of the little red dot.
SINGAPORE MERLION		A familiar symbol of home, carried into the journeys ahead. The Merlion is recognised around the world as a symbol of Singapore. This design allows a small expression of national pride to travel with its owner.
61 YEARS YOUNG		A commemorative mark celebrating Singapore's 61st birthday. Created for the nation's 61st year, the design captures a celebratory moment through Christine's illustrated stamp and metallic foil.

An Encounter Shaped in Real Time

During the live session, Christine will demonstrate the process behind the stamping the illustrate designs and offer each participant the creative choices that make the finished handle personal. The experience brings the artist, the object and its future owner together at the moment the mark is made.

Through this edition of The Artist’s Hand, SIGNICIA and Cleathercrafts bring the artist, the statement piece and its future owner together at the moment a personal mark is made.

Shaped with Cleathercrafts Event

Date: 15^th Aug (Sat)

Time: 12pm – 5pm

Venue: TANGS at Tang Plaza, L2 (310 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238864)

Eligibility or purchase condition: Requires SIGNICIA Ultrafiber Leather Luggage Handle