Massdrop x The British Belt Co. Lyon Wallet

A wallet is only as good as the materials used to make it. For the modern gentleman on the go, we chose fine leather from experts who’ve made it their business for generations. A collaboration with The British Belt Co., the Lyon wallet features French calfskin from Hermès-owned Tannerie d’Annonay. Each wallet is handmade in Rutland, England, by leathersmiths and saddlemakers who’ve passed the trade down through their families. Hand-stitched continuously around the edge—a mark of fine craftsmanship—the Lyon has a slim, compact silhouette with four card slots and a pocket for folded bills. 

Calfskin is naturally supple and resistant to wear, and some of the very best comes from France. Cattle farmers working with French tanneries don’t use barbed-wire fencing, which can scratch and otherwise mark the hides. It’s a big part of the reason so many luxury brands, including Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, and Tiffany & Co., source their calfskin from France—and specifically the Rhône-Alpes region where the leather for this wallet comes from. Chrome tanned and dyed through for an incredible depth of color, the leather is hand-burnished in the tradition of old-school shoemakers to bring out each wallet’s hue. 

The British Belt Co. has been producing leather goods since 1946, using centuries-old leatherworking techniques to bring out the most in each piece. Its products have been featured on the pages of GQ, Esquire, Men’s Health, and Drapers, as well as countless blogs and forum reviews. The company has also made private-label belts for some of the most storied brands out of Northampton, England: a major center of shoemaking and other leather industries.