What Makes Montblanc's Leather Products Great

A voyager’s quest Montblanc gets in touch with the spirit of travel with a massive launch of its leather and travel range in Berlin. We sit down with Jean-Charles Hita, who runs the leather division, to unpack what makes Montblanc’s leather products great, his vision of the brand’s future, and the difference between a statement accessory and one that is designed for the man on the go.

Montblanc has quietly become an industry leader in watches as well as leather goods and travel accessories.

But how does one go from writing instruments to diversifying their portfolio? That requires an analysis of the brand’s ethos. After all, Montblanc’s push for innovation in creating a fountain pen that does not leak, stems from a desire to make it ever more portable.

That ethos of mobility has been translated into the budding range of luggage and fine leather goods. Take for example the #MY4810 trolley, which takes the best of Japanese innovation, German engineering and Italian craftsmanship and amalgamates them all together into a fine travel companion. But innovations like that cannot be built in an echo chamber; it requires one to explore the world and source the best it has to offer.

The brand, which is named after the highest peak in Europe, has its sights set on world domination. We speak to the man in charge of leading its leather division, Jean-Charles Hita, on what separates the brand from the rest of the pack. He waxes lyrical on his journey, what drives the innovation behind the brand, listening to the needs of consumers and what makes a leather product great.

ESQ: What were you doing before Montblanc?

JEAN-CHARLES HITA: I was CEO of some fine writing brands and I’ve also worked with brands like Celine, Burberry and Armani as their managing director for the leather goods division. It’s a category that I really love, it’s a category that is very much consumer-driven and consumer-centric.

ESQ: What are your impressions of Montblanc?