Epic Leather work, on a Greek island

“I HAVE REPEAT CUSTOMERS FROM THE STATES. MY BEST CUSTOMERS SEEM TO BE LEATHERWORKERS WHO SEE A HOLSTER THAT I MADE ON FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM.”
—MICHAEL DALE, CO-FOUNDER, EPOS CUSTOM LEATHER

If gray winter ever gets you down, think of the Greek island of Rhodes, set like a rough-cut gemstone in the sparkling Aegean.

“It’s called the ‘Island of the Sun,’” said Natalie Orfanidi, a gifted leather artist born and raised in Rhodes, the fourth largest island in Greece, a place where remains of ancient city walls, temples and other monuments resonate with the brilliant spirit of Greek antiquity. “The island has over 300 days of sunlight. Everywhere is near the water. It is quite hilly. There are a lot of mountains,” she said.

In 2015, Natalie and Michael Dale, an equally accomplished leatherworker, co-founded Epos Custom Leather in Rhodes. They live and work near Rhodes Town, a small village located on the northwestern tip of the island. Their snug workshop, set up in a 12-by-16-foot room on the second floor of their home, is only a 7-minute