Revival of the iconic leather business from Copenhagen, Dahlman1807

The Copenhagenization of 1807

The history of the brand Dahlman is tightly knit with the history of Denmark itself. During the Napoleonic wars Denmark had one of the largest fleets in Europe and was neutral. The British were too afraid that Napoleon could use Danish fleet against Great Britain and so they decided to subdue it. In 1807 they assembled a force of 30000 troops, launched 300 rockets, which caused massive fires in the Copenhagen. The surrender was quick.

The attack gave rise to the term “to Copenhagenize”: a terror bombardment by a foreign power on a civilian target with no military objective.

During the attack 195 civilians died and 768 were injured. Over a thousand buildings burnt. The port district suffered the most. The district that had concentrated nearly all saddle-makers and leather craftsmen of Copenhagen. This was a devastating tragedy for many but this also was a time when Wilhelm Ludvig Dahlman founded his saddlery workshop.

Dahlman’s 1807-2017

Dahlman is now the oldest saddlemaker in Denmark. Being owned by the Dahlman family and then by the family of an employee Hendriksen saddlery provides most of the riding schools in Denmark with essential leather equipment. They also have been making belts featuring the saumur hoor closure, used before only for horse harnesses.

The belt was known as "the Architect Belt" because it was very popular amongst some of the great Danish architects such as Arne Jacobsen and Børge Mogensen in the 1950's and 60's.

The belt is part of the Danish Arts Foundations collection of Danish Arts and Crafts as well as a part of the Danish Design Museum's collection of Danish Design Classics.

This belt was originally only made in tan, but this changed when Arne Jacobsen ordered a special black version for dress and evening occasions.

Other designers wanted the same belt after that. So the "architect belt" has become a piece of Danish design history.