Calder AirLift for MacBook Air: first view

Here's our latest design - the AirLift edition laptop case for the MacBook Air. The Air slips underneath a lip at the rear and front of the case which holds it in place.

I'll be posting these and more shots on the main website shortly.

Keith Richards' Louis Vuitton guitar case

After 3 years developing a guitar case fit for the finest guitars it was a suprise to come across Annie Leibovitz striking image of Keith Richards with a Louis Vuitton guitar case casually by his side.

My first reaction was shock - there was a giant on my patch. And then disappointment - I have a great regard for Mr Richards and have harboured a dream that one day he might have one of my cases.

And I was disconcerted because I'd planned a very similar sort of image for my marketing - my case off center in a cool location with musicians. My idea had been for a working environment - recording studio - bar - with smoke and drink and musicians' mess.

And thinking along those lines the LV image begs all kinds of questions. Why is there no smoke and booze ? The whole thing is so sedate - Mr Richard looks intense - with a cup of coffee ? And why an unplugged electric guitar ? Yes I've played my electric unplugged in hotel rooms but that's because I'm a polite Englishman and not a rock legend.

All that said I take comfort that the LV work gives credence to the notion that truly great musicians and truly great guitars deserve exceptional cases - I'll drink to that.



Here's a reminder of what the Calder guitar case looks like



There are more shots of our case on the Calder website and here on this blog.

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Developing AirLift edition for MacBook Air

Here's the system we've developed for holding the MacBook Air - a simple leather covered foam lip at the top and bottom of the interior.

Calder AirLift edition for MacBook Air

Late last year we launched our small size laptop case in expectation of the then only rumoured Apple subcompact. Now the AppleBook Air has arrived we are creating the Calder Airlift.

Work is on the case is under way - here are a couple of CAD images. Images of the first AirLift to follow soon.





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Calder laptop case in black

Dark chocolate brown is Calder's signature colour - and red the counterpoint colour. Now a very urbane black with a fine cross print.

Here's the sample we just had made up.







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Work in progress: Sept-Dec 07

Over the last few month I've been busy tweaking details on the design of our cases:

- improving the bow holder on the violin case so the bow cannot slide from side to side.

- talking to tanners about different colours/finishes of leather that we might use.

- using ultrasound cutter to get an absolutely precise fit for the leather insert in the handles.

- designing custom made precision screws for the stainless steel handle plate.

- revisiting the design of the laptop suspension system so it takes less space.

I can see that for the next few months (or maybe years) there will a continual process of refining the design and construction of the cases. As well as my own quest for perfection feedback from users will play into these changes.

On the marketing side I've been busy talking to journalists and making trips to new markets.

The laptop cases have been written up by the very elegant Gatsby magazine as well as two Dutch magazines FemBusiness and Salome.

Here are shots of cases we've made recently.









You can see the whole range on the main Calder website.

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Calder goes Red: laptop case for Apple Featherbook

We are now into our series 1.1 - with a smaller laptop case in red organic leather.

The smaller size is designed to hold subcompact laptops like the Flybook and the strongly rumoured Apple FeatherBook. The case will also take a 12" Mac Powerbook.

More pictures on the main Calder website





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Calder & Tarnsjo Swedish organic leather

I am very pleased to have started working with leather from the world renowned Tarnsjo Tannery based in Sweden. Founded in 1873 Tarnsjo have a reputation for the very finest quality leather made using environmentally low impact tanning.

Here's a shot of their tannery.



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Calder cases now in the Bill Amberg store

Leather design guru Bill Amberg has given us great support during the final stages of our product development. Bill has a true passion for leather and I am honoured to be collaborating with him and his team.

I am happy to report that samples of the Calder laptop and electric guitar case are now on show in Bill's elegan flagshop store at Chepstow Corner, Notting Hill Gate, London.



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