We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rachael Becker a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Rachael, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?
My first dollar earned from my leatherwork was on eBay, but true abundance came shortly thereafter in 2008 from my first sale with Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead. He bought my leather guitar straps and continued to do so until his death in 2015. At the Metal Masters Tour in 2008 I waited patiently backstage by his dressing room while Motorhead played. Lemmy’s tour manager inquired about my lurking around and we sparked up a conversation about leather. After the show he walked me in to meet Lemmy and Lemmy looked up at me and said ‘sit down love, let me make you a Jack n’ Coke!’ My palms were sweating and my heart thumping out of my chest but I managed to sit and chat and give him the strap. I stayed for hours in that room, hanging out. At one point a man in a suit rolled through and introduced himself as a rep from a guitar strap brand that wanted to sponsor him. Lemmy looked at the sample strap the man was holding, held up my strap, and told him to take a good look at what a real strap is made of! We became friends and worked together for many years after that magical night.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I make custom leather goods, originally from NYC and now out of Los Angeles. I’ve been working with leather for over 15 years and am known for custom guitar straps.
I have made everything from gig bags to sci-fi costumes and props for film and television, camera straps, belts, runway accessories, car upholstery, sexy leather, and so much more. I even made a gun style holster for Twizzlers once, and a guitar strap filled with ashes.
I’m most proud of my loyal customers and celebrity clients, including Prince, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, Metallica, Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead, Justin Timberlake, Elliot Ives, Slash and Matt Sorum of Guns ‘N’ Roses, Adam Sandler, Doyle WGF of the Misfits, Billy Strings, Phoebe Bridgers, Lzzy Hale of Halestorm, Matt Freeman of Rancid…. the list goes on…
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The freedom to express myself daily through my art. There is a wellspring of creativity that arises within me from a simple walk down the street. I get inspired by music, people, fashion, architecture, nature, poetry, scents, really an energy at any given moment can sweep through my senses, arouse the hair on my arms, light my inner fire. I am so grateful that I’m able to turn this inspiration into tangible art that supports me financially. And sometimes it doesn’t and that’s ok too. The ability to see beauty everywhere, embody it, and translate it into my unique expression is the prize.
How did you build your audience on social media?
By being authentic. My audience is not huge, but the people who follow me are loyal and dedicated and passionate about what I do. That potency you can’t pay for, you can’t fake it. The people who wear my work send me photos of their bands, their guitars, and I re-post them and promote them. I love the intimacy of individual customer attention and the abundance of collaborating and sharing. I give as much focus on my average customers as I do with my famous customers, and my account is not super polished. It’s raw and real and honest and just sexy enough.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heavyleathernyc.com
- Instagram: heavyleathernyc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heavyleatherNYCstraps
- Twitter: heavyleathernyc
Image Credits
Lyle Waisman, Ryan Schude, Joey Falsetta