Meet Taylor Mock | Actor/Leatherworker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Taylor Mock and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taylor, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It’s funny really, the thought process wasn’t there at first. I kind of fell into it. It definitely snowballed into something more concrete and professional, but it started as a hobby, and just a new craft to keep me occupied during the Covid lockdowns. It was something that I just really had a passion for. I started making items for myself and my motorcycle, then I used my hobby to make gifts for friends and family, and eventually by word of mouth other people wanted to buy my leather goods. So it kind of took off serendipitously.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
In addition to my acting and writing endeavors, I started Mythos Leatherworks. It honestly started as a hobby to stay creative and positively engaged during the Covid lockdowns. The art of leatherwork has been around for thousands of years. From the Roman Empire, to the Vikings, the Native Americans, and on.
The craftsmen then, presented a blank canvas of utilitarian art for the wearer; the same applies today. Goods from home decor, saddlebags, wallets and pouches for explorers, sheathes, and clothing; the list goes on.
The blank canvas of leather goods from the maker, once passed onto an owner begin to share the story of the wearer-weaving itself into their journey. Each story defined by the individual, their culture, and beliefs.
This was half of my inspiration, the other half came about from my restless spirit which has invoked my love of traveling. Most of my traveling has been on my motorcycle, camping along the way to whatever destination I ended up in. From that, and with a steep learning curve, I became very conscious of the gear I carried. I wanted things to not only last, but to be functional and aesthetically pleasing. However, I always found myself wishing I could alter certain areas of the gear I carried to better suit my needs. I became inspired by that, and eventually Mythos Leatherworks was born.
When I load my gear on my motorcycle for the next adventure, the patina, wrinkles, scuffs, and well worn marks make me smile; there are stories in those-they make me remember the adventures of my past, and look forward to the new stories I, and the gear I carry will tell.
Every order/project is done by hand, beginning to end, I cut the leather, set snaps or rivets, and sew the project all by hand.
The most common method of stitching I do is saddle stitching. Saddle stitching, simply put, is two rows of thread through one line of holes. This method can only be done by hand and is actually stronger than a machine stitched line, which is a lock stitch method. “ The saddle stitch is arguably the strongest stitch we know of, when used in the appropriate situations. It originated in 365 AD in saddle work and is still used today. For reasons discussed below, the strength can be a much needed application in items such as holsters and, well…saddles”.
(https://www.direwolfleather.com/post/saddle-stitching-the-ancient-art-of-joining-leather)
So not only is each project done in a traditional, time honored method, it’s stronger and durable enough to make each item heirloom-worthy; there’s definitely a win-win scenario there.
I feel I set myself apart from most because I correspond with the customer to create a truly unique and custom experience. From beginning to end there is communication to make sure they get exactly what they want.
For the most part it’s exclusively made to order. I carry little pre-made inventory.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Sure, I would take them to a few of my favorite spots in Los Angeles. I’d probably start with a quick trip to the Farmers Market on 3rd and Fairfax, I love grabbing an empanada, and enjoying a cold beer at bar 326. Culver City is great too, I’d take them to the Auld Fella, it’s a great bar and definitely a favorite stop of mine.
Due to my love of the outdoors and traveling-I’d take my friend(s) up to the Angeles Crest highway and have a camping trip up at Chilao Campground. It’s gorgeous, and the highway to that spot is full of fun twists, turns, and beautiful scenic vistas.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate this to my family, friends, and my peers that have helped me propel myself forward in the direction of my goals. Also, a big thanks to my customers too, who have been an integral part of my growing bespoke leathercraft business.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mythos_leatherworks?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Other: https://instagram.com/taylor_mock?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Image Credits
El3 Productions (personal photo) All other photos are taken by me