How it All Began
Lothar Schafer, studied the art and craft of leathercraft in Offenbach, Germany. As an inquisitive young man, he successfully pursued an opportunity which presented in Egypt and began sharing his knowledge and skills of the trade to local Egyptians. His passion for the trade and eagerness to succeed catalyzed the establishment of one of the best leather manufacturing facilities in the Middle East. Aga Khan, the Rothschild and Queen Elizabeth, among others, had their bags and leather items handcrafted by Lothar.
It was at this time Lothar first met Denise, an Egyptian born teacher of a Franco Italian mother and Lebanese father. Two months later, after numerous picnics along the Nile, Lothar traditionally requested Denise’s hand in marriage. They were married on June 1957, as partners that would go through life together, and so they would for forty-two years. They were later blessed with two sons, Robert and Richard, and twin daughters, Nicole and Christine.
In May 1962, after the revolution motivated many Europeans to leave Egypt. The Schafer family moved to Germany before relocating to Lebanon. “You don’t know what you can do until it is expected from you”, Denise. Lebanon offered a kind life and Denise’s Lebanese father offered a perfect partnership. ‘Cordoba’ was born, named after the Spanish city which became known for its quality leather. Many of the Egyptian leather craftsmen followed Lothar to Lebanon, due to his kind and caring character. Collectively they had incredible skills and knowledge, an appetite for life and a genuine care for people. These attributes formed the corner stones of the business.
The environment became unstable in Lebonan in 1966. An opportunity presented to move to South Africa. The opportunity appealed to Lothar however he was uninspired by the mass production approach and the delivery of poor quality. A perfectionist at heart, Lothar had a burning desire to apply his skills to the world’s finest materials to create exquisite leather goods, second-to-none. It was this desire that forged a strong relationship between Lothar and Walter Schoch, another German gentleman in South Africa. Together they birthed ‘Cape Cobra’ in 1972.
The name Cape Cobra was chosen to highlight the origin of the product as proudly South African. “The leather was cut in the dining room, skived in the bedroom and the creations produced in the helper’s room. Number 1402 was the very first bag we made”, Denise. Their vision was to grow their simple home based leathercraft operation into a world market leader. Their dream was built on three core attributes: a pledge to innovative design, a dedication to producing the finest exotic leather accessories, and a caring attitude towards people. These attributes remain the driving force behind Cape Cobra’s strength today.
Cape Cobra secured their first premises in Cape Town in 1973. By1974 all the children were old enough to work at the factory and each one contributed. Robert, the eldest of the children, went to Offenbach in Germany in 1976 to complete his apprenticeship in leathercraft. On his return he fully committed to the business. The company grew rapidly mainly due to the quality of craftsmanship and innovative designs with which Cape Cobra became synonymous with. Despite the recession in the 80’s, the commitment of the board of directors and dedication of the factory workers catalyzed Cape Cobra to go from strength to strength on the local market to this day. In 1993 Cape Cobra made its first international break- entering the United States.
Cape Cobra Today
Cape Cobra has a fully integrated design and manufacturing facility located in Cape Town. The factory can offer a private tour which features the process involved in the creation of a single piece, from the design phase through to end product. It includes a visit to the design room, stores, engineering department, and production. The showroom offers a complete range of classic and new Cape Cobra collections available, each piece intricately designed, intimately handcrafted and timelessly elegant.
Robert Schafer is the managing director of Cape Cobra after succeeding the late Lothar Schafer in 2000. Robert has three children, of which Justine is a member of the design team. Richard, the second eldest son, is also a director of Cape Cobra. Denise continues to work at the factory and is primarily responsible for ensuring the quality of the goods produced is maintained at an exceptionally high standard.
Today, a whole new market recognizes Cape Cobra as a major name in the design and manufacture of premium leather goods. The organization continues to be family orientated with a heart for South Africa, despite its growth as a vibrant and internationally renowned business. A shared vision is alive in the very fabric of Cape Cobra culture: to establish Cape Cobra as the exotic leather handcrafted product of choice on a global level and position South Africa at the forefront of the international fashion industry as a uniquely creative country that exceeds expectations through timeless age-old traditions.
