5 minutes with Niklas and Mattis Oppermann

We stole 5 minutes with brothers, Niklas and Mattis Oppermann, the craftsmen behind Oppermann London. A brand synonymous with sleek, premium, leather carry. Their thing? Blending Swedish minimalism with British individuality. Our thing? Asking the questions that you get stoked on…

1­) What key insights drive your stuff?

During the holidays three years ago, Niklas was trying to give me a sleek leather laptop folder in a standout color; it didn’t work out as there was nothing on the market meeting his (or my) expectations. This led us to realize that most leather goods are 1. Too expensive, 2. Too cluttered 3. And come in either black or in shades of brown.

This insight made us think about creating our own collection, and later also became the foundation of our brand philosophy: Creating high-­quality leather goods with a minimalist aesthetic without being unattainably expensive. We now also offer our goods in 5 elegant colors, including navy, burgundy and racing green.

Another insight, or principle, we work by is that no product is ever perfect. Since our launch in 2012, some styles have already been through several iterations. The driver for the improvements are partly from continuous testing, but more importantly we listen to and act on feedback. Our customers are passionate about their Oppermann products and we often end up having conversations about how a certain detail can be improved, or even discuss ideas for entirely new products. It is one of the most enjoyable parts of our jobs, and we love it when people engage with us before and after a purchase.

2) Who else is doing rad things in the world of carry and why do you think they’re important?

WANT Les Essentiels de la Vie

Thought through designs and extreme attention to detail. Finding a truly unique line and creating products which can be identified in a second is very important in the world of carry. We believe Want has achieved just that.

Campbell Cole

Simple and beautiful products with overall clean lines. Just as we like our bags and accessories to be. Their photography looks like pieces of art, and probably inspires everyone who sees it.

3) Are there any things other brands do that you think are great or could be improved?

There are loads of cool brands doing great stuff in many different areas at the moment, which is why I think it’s difficult to be specific. It’s never been easier for a consumer to find exactly what he or she is looking for through emerging online stores and blogs. I think the diversity offered by established brands and emerging talents is overall what brands do well.

While we try to improve on every aspect of a product, we still see many brands offering a product that goes unchanged for many years, even though it might have obvious flaws. We think that just because a style might sell well, it’s not a reason to look away and relax. Whatever you do, there is always room for innovation.

4) What’s next for you guys?

We just presented our third collection/iteration at Pitti Uomo in Florence and at London Collections: Men. We have kept our core collection in terms of styles. But working in iterations rather than seasonal collections, we have made constructional changes throughout our range and replaced our cotton lining with sturdy Cordura.

Moving forward, we will focus on two things. On the one hand, we will continue to extend and refine our core collection. More specifically, there are still several use cases in the bag ­world which we don’t fully cover with our current line-up. On the other hand, we are looking to introduce a new line of bags and accessories differentiated from our current range. This differentiation might entail different materials, pricing or style but ­ it’s a bit too early to go into the details just yet.

5) What do you carry daily and how?

Almost every day I carry with me: 15″ MacBook, charger and a notepad and a can of Swedish snus. Most days I use our Briefcase Vallance which is ideal for this purpose. If I plan to go to the gym after work I go for the 25-hour bag Palissy in which I can fit both my everyday work gear and the gym clothes.

*Editor’s Note: Oppermann London has now rebranded to Carl Friedrik.