The Hands Behind the Studs: A Conversation With Our Belt Maker (Part 2)

In Part 1, Qingyang (青杨) told us how he came to leather and the philosophy behind his work. Here, he takes us inside the actual making of a studded belt: the process, the sourcing, and the belts themselves.

How a Studded Belt Is Made

Marcus: So walk us through how a belt actually gets made.

Qingyang: Once the leather arrives, I cut it into sections and keep only the dense backbone of the hide. Then I hand-dye the surface. After that comes embossing, punching the holes, attaching the buckle, setting the studs, and the rest of the build. Start to finish, one belt takes about four to six hours.

The Hardest Part Is Sourcing

Marcus: Which step demands the most skill?

Qingyang: Compared to the craft itself, the harder challenge is sourcing: finding the correct hardware and gemstones from that era. I'm fortunate that modern internet resources and translation tools are so good now. They let me track down high-quality vintage materials from all over the world without leaving the workshop.

Marcus: Exactly. Sourcing the materials is the hardest part of all. Once that's solved, honestly, half the work is already done. So among the Diamond, Rodeo, and Montgomery, which is the hardest to make?

Diamond, Rodeo, and Montgomery

Qingyang: The Montgomery. It uses far more studs and includes inlaid decorative patterns, which is why it sits at a higher price point. And one of the things I'm most proud of in the whole series, honestly, is recreating the look of that era using modern craftsmanship. To get there, I searched the world for antique gemstones, especially ones produced in Czechoslovakia. Since Czechoslovakia dissolved in 1992, those stones are confirmed to predate that year. Finding them and setting them into my belts makes me genuinely proud.

Marcus: I love that. Personally, the Diamond is my favorite. The details we settled on in the planning stage (the embossing pattern, the placement of the studs) came out exactly the way we'd hoped, and I couldn't be happier with it. I wear mine almost every day. Speaking of which, how does it feel knowing people all over the world are wearing belts you made by hand?

Qingyang: Honestly, my first reaction is surprise. Right after that comes pride, a very careful kind of pride. There's something personal in it too: it proves that handmade leather goods from China are not inferior to anyone's. Whenever I hear that someone on the other side of the world is wearing one of my belts, the hammering inside my workshop stops feeling lonely. It moves in rhythm with footsteps far away.

What He Hopes You Feel

Marcus: Is there a belt you've always wanted to make but haven't yet?

Qingyang: In the vintage advertisements from that era, there was a design built around playing cards. I've never been able to find the right antique cards for it, so I haven't made it yet. Creating it is still my greatest wish. I'd also love to make narrower belts, 30mm widths. They have a more elegant look, and that's a direction I want to explore.

Marcus: Last one. When someone puts on a belt you made, what do you hope they feel?

Qingyang: First, I hope they're satisfied, pleasantly surprised, the moment it arrives. Then I hope it becomes part of their everyday style, something they reach for without thinking. And in the end, I hope it stops being just a belt. I hope it becomes that quiet old friend around their waist.

Meet the belts for yourself: the Diamond, the Rodeo, and the Montgomery, each handmade by Brake House, Qingyang.