Campus Celeb: Ian Clegg ’15

Name: Ian Clegg

Age: 21

Year: Senior

Major: Entrepreneurship 

Hometown: Swansea, Massachusetts  

Relationship Status: Single

Astrology Sign: Cancer

DF: What year are you and why did you choose to attend Suffolk?

EC: I’m a senior, graduating in May. I decided to study at Suffolk for a few reasons. I was interested in studying entrepreneurship and heard they had an excellent program. The location was also a plus. I have always wanted to live in a city, especially one that was somewhat close to work.

DF: So your father, Frank Clegg, is creator of Frank Clegg Leatherworks, can you tell me a little bit more about the company?

EC: My father started the company in 1970. Every one of our bags, wallets, and accessories is made in our Fall River, Massachusetts, workshop by a highly skilled team who share the pride of creating handmade products of unparalleled quality. My brother and I plan on taking over the business, and hopefully brining it to become a top luxury brand.  

DF: What is your position in the company?

EC: I guess you could say I have a few positions in the company. I handle all business operations including PR, Sales, Social Media, Ecommerce, and prepare for the trade-shows we attend each season. Currently I’m finalizing our website redesign which will go live sometime next month. 

DF:What is the process of making a Frank Clegg bag?

EC: Simply put there are many steps to selecting the right leather, construction methods, and finishing. With many steps and trade secrets along the way. What really makes the difference are the time, patience, and commitment to doing things the right way, without taking short cuts along the way.

DF: Frank Clegg Leatherworks is being sold in countries all over the world, what are some of your favorite countries you’ve traveled to?

Some of my favorite countries are Italy, Greece, England, Ireland, and Spain. This June I will be showing our men’s collection for the second time at the largest trade show in Florence, Italy called Pitti Uomo.

DF: What are some of your favorite pieces from the collection?

EC:

Camo Duffle 

Alligator Duffle 

English Briefcase 

The Beast

Captain’s Briefcase

DF: Where can you buy the product?

EC: We are very particular with who we sell to. One can find our products are some of the most exclusive men’s haberdasheries around the world. To name a few: Leather Soul – Hawaii, The Armoury – NYC & Hong Kong, Linnegatan2 – Sweden, Trunk Clothiers – London, Tobox – Philadelphia.

EF: What are your plans for after graduation, do you plan to follow in your father’s footsteps?

EC: After college I plan to continue growing the business. I’m not sure if I will actually be the one producing the products, instead I will focus on the business side of things for a few years. Ecommerce is a major component to our business, and I will be exploring the different ways we can improve the user experience. Once this is done our company has plans to open a few retail locations throughout the US, Europe, and Japan.