RIP Derek Harris of Lewis Leathers

[Edward]

Lewis Leathers' Facebook page has just reported that Derek Harris, who really brought Lewis Leathers back from the dead and is directly responsible for it being the company it is now, died on Sunday 22nd June. Sad news.

Photo copyright Lewis Leathers

Derek Harris 1958-2025

 

[Tom71]

Yes. Crushing news. Way too early!

His wife made a rather touching post on Instagram yesterday.

P.S.: @Mysteryo also started a commemorative thread earlier this week. Maybe the two can be merged. Not that it matters much.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Very sad news. I am thankful to see someone who was so passionate about a product and company that when he saw them struggling, he didn't sit by and let them fall away. Instead, Derek dug in to make a change in something he believed strongly in.

 

[Aloysius]

Extremely sad.

Edward, did you ever get around to interviewing him?

 

[Edward]

Yes. Crushing news. Way too early!

His wife made a rather touching post on Instagram yesterday.

P.S.: @Mysteryo also started a commemorative thread earlier this week. Maybe the two can be merged. Not that it matters much.

I missed that one - have you got a link to it and I'll merge the two?

I had a great uncle died after a tough run with stomach cancer back when I was sixteen. He was 69 at the time, which seemed ancient. Now I'm several months into my own sixth decade with 60 the next big milestone, 67 as Derek was seems only a couple of months away in the grander scheme of things.

Extremely sad.

Edward, did you ever get around to interviewing him?

Alas, no that's not something that happened. I interviewed Ken as a one-of addition to an article I was writing at the time for The Chap on the case for the leather jacket as a Chappist wardrobe essential, but I never did expand beyond that to others. I did exchange an email with Derek once long ago, as I recall about an eBay brand who were at the time regularly abusing Lewis' trade mark to sell their own Lewisalikes, but we never met beyond that.

 

[moktabe]

Comemorative thread dedicated to Derek Harris, owner of Lewis Leathers

I'm very sad to learn about the passing of Derek Harris, owner and rejuvenator of mythic brand Lewis Leathers. I thought this man deserves a dedicated place to evoque and share memories and the brand he worked on reviving, successfully. I had the chance to meet him , and spend some time...

www.thefedoralounge.com

 

[Brandrea33]

May he rest in peace.