The passion that is such an essential part of the MI industry is readily apparent at NAMM each year. This is especially true of the smaller, boutique companies that exhibit at the show, many of whom are in the industry more for a love of their craft than for the pursuit of profit. Anthology Gear Wear (anthologygear wear.com), a manufacturer of high-quality leather accessories for musicians, is a perfect example of this level of passion and commitment to craftsmanship for the sake of craftsmanship. “We make what we think is the best boutique bag and guitar strap in the world,” said Brian Griffith, President of Anthology Gear Wear. “First and foremost, we focus on design aesthetic. Secondly, we spare no expense in making what we make. We use only the highest-grade, full-grain, custom leather. There’s nothing fake or faux about our leather.” The company prides itself on the quality, durability and longevity of its products. “We’ve got a 100-year warranty on everything we do,” offered Griffith. “We believe you can hand our stuff down to your kids when they’re shredders like you.”
The Anthology Gear Wear brand also places heavy emphasis on the stories behind its instrument cases and accessories. Each product listing on the company’s website is accompanied by a bit of creative writing that captures the feel of the product and the inspiration behind its design. Griffith also emphasized that each bag or strap, by virtue of its longevity, will come to have its own story to tell over time. “The leather that we use, as you break it in, as you’re playing with it on the road, will start to take on its own personality,” said Griffith. “It’ll tell its own story about your journey as a musician. Your bag will be different from the next guy’s bag. Your strap will be different from the other guy’s strap. There’ll be none that are exactly alike, aesthetically speaking.”
Griffith considered exhibiting at the show a wise investment. “We came with a couple of ideas, wanting to not only just get awareness, but also find some dealers and start establishing relationships with other brands, to do some private-label stuff for them. And all three of those things have happened.” The company will definitely be back in 2016, and Griffith already has at least one fantastic idea for a new product offering. “You can expect me to design a brand-new pair of really comfortable shoes for the NAMM show. That’s my next goal in life.”