Autonomous Artistry +/-® is a leather goods studio operating out of Oregon. Every piece is made by hand: cut, punched, and stitched without shortcuts. Small batch. Made to order. No waste.

We source from some of the best leather tanneries in the world: Horween (Chicago), La Bretagna (Italy), Badalassi Carlo (Italy), Rocado (Italy).

The +/-® is the whole story: the tension between opposites, the beauty in the imperfect. Our bags take time to produce. This is intentional, and we plan to keep it that way.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest and spending many of my years in Los Angeles, I have always been drawn to both the simplicity of nature and the allure of luxury.

With a background in photography, film, and theatre, over the years my connection to the arts eventually began to feel fleeting in an oversaturated digital world. My creative mind was restless for something tangible.

In the spring of 2024, I was on a hike and randomly turned to my friend and said, "Maybe I should start a bag company." She said, "You should." I said, "Okay." A bit impulsive, sometimes brave, and most of the time naive. I said to myself, I am doing this.

Not sure what I was getting myself into. Six months later, I had been searching for makers to bring my vision to life but the prototypes were not coming out the way I intended. Stubborn and impatient, I decided to teach myself. I had no plans of focusing solely on leather; I was getting samples of all types of fabrics and materials. As soon as I started using leather, I knew this was the right path. Something raw, rugged, and durable. Something I could sculpt and shape: vegetable-tanned leather (a natural, chemical-free leather tanned using tree bark and plant extracts, developed over centuries and known for its durability, character, and the way it ages beautifully). I try to honor each hide, to create something that will last forever.

Today, Autonomous Artistry +/-® is a small, focused family studio.  It is just two makers, myself and my cousin. Every piece is hand-crafted one at a time, just outside Portland, Oregon, using only the highest quality of leathers.

The "+/-," the logo itself, embodies both masculine and feminine and the magnetic pull between opposites that somehow keeps everything in balance.

I am endlessly grateful to my mom and dad for supporting every obsessive, impulsive, creative endeavor I've chased.

We appreciate your time and look forward to sharing this journey with you.

James Jaeger & The Team at Autonomous Artistry