Colombian king of leathergoods bemoans lack of local material
14/05/2013
In recent comments to local media, Mr Hernández said: “Unfortunately, our raw material is being exported either as wet blue or as raw hides, so there isn’t much left. It’s a shame that we don’t have better access to it. To be able to compete, we have to bring leather in from Brazil, Argentina and even from Italy.”
His company employs around 500 people and produces between 10,000 and 12,000 items (shoes, apparel, bags and small leathergoods) per month. It has more than 20 stores in Colombia, 11 in Venezuela, five in Mexico and three others in the Caribbean and Central America.
However, Mr Hernández said he also has plans to open a first store in Russia within three years. Unusually, it was a case of counterfeiting that inspired his interest in the Russian market: counterfeit Mario Hernández goods, produced in China, were on sale there.
“I thought this was a good thing,” the founder said. “It means the brand is good and that people like it. Obviously we got the lawyers onto it and the sales stopped, but it was a good sign.”
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