Very early in my career, before I had even open my first storefront, I met the man who inspired my business name “Leather Waves”. His name was Bob Dylan, the year was 1975, and my favorite album at that time was his “Planet Waves”.
I happened to be downtown one afternoon visiting one of my suppliers, MacPhearson Leather Co. I was settling my bill and about ready to walk out with my skins, and in walked Bob Dylan. I was absolutely breathless for a minute because I considered him to be one of America’s greatest poets, even then, and I loved his music. Luckily I was dressed in my own designs, a Suede Jean Jacket and Suede Bell-Bottomed pants decorated with vintage drapery fabrics, (very hippie) so I gathered my courage and decided to approach him because I knew he loved to wear leather. He was very nice, friendly and interested in taking my business card. A week later he called and asked if I could repair a couple of his leather jackets, and I said “sure”.
Bob arrived at my little studio in the Malibu hills (the same one I am back working in now, in 2011) driving an old beat-up van, and jumped out with an armload of jackets, the ones he was wearing in his “Rolling Thunder Revue” concert tour. I got to hang out with Bob for awhile while I fixed his buttonholes and it was a stellar day in my leather working career. I saw him again about 7 years later when Bob started coming to Leather Waves, my storefront at the Malibu Country Mart in the mid-80’s. I got to make him a few things, he liked suede shirts, he bought gifts for Sarah and he sent his friends in. One day George Harrison (yes, the Beatle) came by because Bob sent him in to look for a vest…how cool was that?! Bob and I had a few leather adventures and I was eager to be in his service just to be in his presence!
My best Bob story is the one where he paid me for a leather favor by bringing me a dozen eggs from his chickens. He drove up to the entrance doorway of my shop in a vintage Eldorado Convertible and handed me the carton of eggs, said thanks and took off.
Hope to see you again Bob!
Leather Waves history….In the beginning there was Bob Dylan
Very early in my career, before I had even open my first storefront, I met the man who inspired my business name “Leather Waves”. His name was Bob Dylan, the year was 1975, and my favorite album at that time was his “Planet Waves”.
I happened to be downtown one afternoon visiting one of my suppliers, MacPhearson Leather Co. I was settling my bill and about ready to walk out with my skins, and in walked Bob Dylan. I was absolutely breathless for a minute because I considered him to be one of America’s greatest poets, even then, and I loved his music. Luckily I was dressed in my own designs, a Suede Jean Jacket and Suede Bell-Bottomed pants decorated with vintage drapery fabrics, (very hippie) so I gathered my courage and decided to approach him because I knew he loved to wear leather. He was very nice, friendly and interested in taking my business card. A week later he called and asked if I could repair a couple of his leather jackets, and I said “sure”.
Bob arrived at my little studio in the Malibu hills (the same one I am back working in now, in 2011) driving an old beat-up van, and jumped out with an armload of jackets, the ones he was wearing in his “Rolling Thunder Revue” concert tour. I got to hang out with Bob for awhile while I fixed his buttonholes and it was a stellar day in my leather working career. I saw him again about 7 years later when Bob started coming to Leather Waves, my storefront at the Malibu Country Mart in the mid-80’s. I got to make him a few things, he liked suede shirts, he bought gifts for Sarah and he sent his friends in. One day George Harrison (yes, the Beatle) came by because Bob sent him in to look for a vest…how cool was that?! Bob and I had a few leather adventures and I was eager to be in his service just to be in his presence!
My best Bob story is the one where he paid me for a leather favor by bringing me a dozen eggs from his chickens. He drove up to the entrance doorway of my shop in a vintage Eldorado Convertible and handed me the carton of eggs, said thanks and took off.
Hope to see you again Bob!
