By John Hayden
The deep bass of the beats lures you to the door, the darkness draws you in. Eagle Wilton Manors is known for its dark lighting and the mystique it provides. But beyond the door and just off the dark dance floor, is a very well-lit room that entices you out from the dark.
“It’s like the flower that catches your eye and brings you in.” Marquee Kloppenburg runs Eagle Leathers, the boutique inside Eagle showcasing a unique line of hand-crafted gear.
Inside Leathers you’ll find lots of leather gear and accessories running from the traditional to the edgy. But the truly avant garde gear is produced by Kloppenburg himself. “I’ve always had a medieval fetish, so this fits in perfectly,” he told OutClique.
He crafts a chainmail line of harnesses and tops that rivals anything you’ve seen between Wilton Drive and the Castro in San Francisco. The looks are reminiscent of how we depict knights from the middle ages as they rode off into battle. You’ll also see influences from some of humanity’s oldest cultures. “Egyptian, Roman. I pulled a little bit of this and a little bit of that.”
Kloppenburg got his start in Atlanta, where he learned the leather lifestyle. A few years ago he made his way to South Florida and eventually became a barback at Eagle. But it was the bright lights of the little store that caught his attention. Eventually he convinced Chuck, the owner, to let him run the store and sell his products. “I asked if I could put my stuff in here, and he said yes, of course.”
Labor of Love
His material is multi-colored aluminum, and the eye is immediately drawn to the scales and designs created directly from his imagination. Each piece takes about four hours once he sits down at his design table. “It’s a matter of focus. Sitting down at the table and getting to work. It’s very meditative for me.”
The price tags give some fans initial sticker shock, but handcrafted quality is something discerning customers know you have to pay for. “Some people say it’s expensive, but most say it’s beautiful. My product, once you put it on, feel it, it’s sold. Once they try it on, it’s hard to say no.”
Kloppenburg says he loves the work, and everything that goes with it. “I’m very happy. This is not a job for me. I make money off a hobby, which is a fabulous thing.”
