A lover of the ocean, Rowena Shirtcliff of Sonder & Wilde lived on the sea for three years and visited many remote islands while working as a chef on private yachts in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific. It was here she grew her appreciation for traditional methods of making textiles, food, and products. Recently Rowena spent time at the Scuola del Cuoio (School of Leather) in Florence, Italy, where she worked alongside an artisan leather worker and learned incredibly valuable skills in construction and finishing. Sonder & Wilde comes from that love of creating and the need for honest, quality New Zealand leather goods.
