RICHARD SCHAFER

Board Member

Richard Schafer is a director of Cape Cobra Leathercraft, a Cape Town based leather manufacturing company that employs over 150 people and is dedicated to the design and manufacture of exquisite, handcrafted leather goods.

Richard Schafer is the latest in a family line of many generations dedicated to the artisan trade of leather manufacturing in other countries. In 1972, Lothar Schafer and Walter Schoch, set out to build their own leather goods business of the finest order in Cape Town, South Africa. Richard Schafer, alongside his brother, Robert, now form part of the second generation based in South Africa of skilled master craftsmen that are, indeed, fulfilling their founders' dream to firmly establish Cape Cobra as leaders in the design and creation of fine personal accessories. With the utmost attention to detail, Cape Cobra takes pride in the workmanship needed to fashion exotic skins such as Alligator, Nile Crocodile, Lizard Python and Buffalo, into desirable, functional and essentially beautiful pieces of enduring quality. All exotic leathers are strictly obtained under rigid international CITES regulations (Conference of International Trade of Endangered Species set in Washington in 1973).

A regular exhibitor at international leather shows (New York, Hong Kong, Dubai, Paris and Milan), Cape Cobras’ progressive and contemporary designs and superior quality have secured affiliations with some of the top American design houses and leading international brands. Cape Cobra produces handcrafted pieces that are released in a timely manner to fall part of the seasonal lines and enjoy an elite following by the likes of Michael Kors, Judith Leiber, Kara Ross and many more. Cape Cobra’s handbags have graced the arms of South African celebrities and have been worn by the likes of international A list stars including Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Lopez and Anne Hathaway.

In honour of Nelson Mandela and as part of the prestigious Mandela Day Couture Collection in 2009, Cape Cobra was selected to create a single limited edition ensemble comprising of a tote and resort clutch with proceeds going of the auctioned collection going to charity. The collection was showcased in New York and at the Paris Fashion Week before returning to South Africa.

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Events

29th February 2012
Salon Prive at The Design Indaba

SALA Wealth Summit

7th March 2012
Sandton Sun

A two day summit with leading speakers in the luxury industry and wealth management space. This innovative conference is designed to explore the state of wealth in the South African market and to identify where lie the obstacles and the opportunities. By bringing together heads of private wealth management firms alongside leaders from the luxury industry we hope to overcome the lack of formal research into this market and share key insights and knowledge. The summit aims to look at the various dimensions shaping the generation and utilization of wealth so as to illuminate how people manage their wealth as well as how they spend it. Perhaps more than ever, in these economically challenging times, one needs to seek out and find those extremely elusive pockets of wealth and as the competition increases, find more considered ways to engage with valued clients in the future. According to the Credit Suisse 2011 Global Wealth Report there are 71,000 dollar millionaires in South Africa. The SALA Wealth Summit addresses a need for companies marketing to them, to understand how to generate, sustain and build connections with the wealth segment.

View SALA Wealth Summit


The Launch of "THE LUXURY ANNUAL" - The Ethics of Luxury

15th April 2012
Members Direct

The first and quintessential guide for luxury in Southern Africa: The Luxury Annual.


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