Storefront
A curated retail space at the front of The Barn, showcasing our bags, belts, wallets and travel accessories.
A Proposal for The Barn
Wanderlust Leather
Handcrafted. Local. Timeless.
“A storefront where travellers browse handcrafted leather goods — and a workshop where they watch it come to life.”
Presented to Peregrine Farmstall
Who We Are
Marné & Marius de Nysschen
Wanderlust Leather Co. is a Somerset West–based leather brand, designed in South Africa and made to see the world.
Marné is the artisan and founder — a decade of business experience behind her, she runs her own workshop and hand-crafts every piece herself. Marius is an entrepreneurial cinematographer and colorist who shapes the brand's visual identity.
The brand originated from a fireside chat between friends about a shared longing to explore and travel. Our products — moonbags, totes and travel accessories — are already sold and loved by customers across South Africa.
The Concept
One space, two experiences.
We'd like to bring a leather workshop and storefront to The Barn — shop at the front, watch it being made at the back.
Workshop
An open working studio at the back, where craftspeople cut, stitch and finish leather in full view of the shop floor.
The Experience
What a visit looks like.
- Step 1
Walk in
Drawn in by the smell of leather and the sound of tools.
- Step 2
Browse
Shop handmade goods that carry a story.
- Step 3
Watch
See the workshop in action, just steps away.
- Step 4
Connect
Chat with the maker, see a demo, or sign up for a workshop.
Look & Feel
A calm, natural material palette.
Warm neutrals drawn from raw materials and the surrounding landscape — corrugated metal, weathered timber, pine, concrete, black metal and wooden windows. Nothing we add fights the building; it settles into it.
Warm White
Sand
Taupe
Warm Grey
Olive Green
Dark Brown
Black
Community & Skills
Workshops for the community.
We'd run occasional hands-on leathercraft workshops, teaching locals and visitors basic skills through small take-home projects.
Why Us
Why we'd be the right partner.
We're creative people who would love to become part of a community at Peregrine — and we truly believe our experience, and how we build partnerships, can be of great value to your business.
We're an honest, enthusiastic, driven, and ethical family business, and we love working with people who are open and curious about the world.
- Honest
- Enthusiastic
- Driven
- Ethical
- Family-run
- Community-minded
Why Here
Why The Barn, why Peregrine.
- Peregrine's traveller footfall matches the handmade-craft audience.
- The Barn's rustic character suits a working leather studio.
- A visible working tenant adds story and sensory texture to the farmstall experience.
- Workshops drive repeat visits and community engagement.
Our Vision
From storage clutter to working studio.
We see The Barn reimagined as a bright working leather studio — light, tools, product and people in one room.
The Space Today
The Barn, as it currently stands.
We want to be completely transparent about the space as we found it. The Barn has real character — original timber, corrugated iron cladding, tall multi-pane windows — but today it holds storage, loose equipment and dust, and there is honest work to do: broken panes, windows that no longer open, and paint past its life. These photos are unedited.
Preparing The Space
What we'd need from the space.
A short list of things we'd hope to see addressed before opening our doors.
- 1
A fresh coat of paint on the barn house, inside and out.
- 2
The windows currently can't open — they'd need to be made operable for ventilation.
- 3
Cracked and damaged window glass repaired throughout.
- 4
The previous tenant's logo painted over on the roof.
- 5
Extra hanging lights installed to bring more light into the space.
What We Bring
Our commitment as tenants.
Handcrafted product
All goods made on-site, by hand.
A fitted-out space
We furnish and finish the store and workshop to match The Barn's character.
Foot traffic and buzz
A working storefront draws attention and gives visitors a reason to linger.
Community workshops
Regular skills sessions open to locals and guests.
Let's talk.
We'd love the opportunity to bring Wanderlust Leather to life in The Barn, and to walk you through the details in person.
Marius & Marne de Nysschen
mariusmdn777@gmail.com