Shell cordovan is often considered the granddaddy of leathers. It’s tough as can be, and holds a shine better than many can believe. How about a wallet that’s not only made with shell, but made of a rare, Horween marbled color #4 shell? District Leather’s Metro wallet is just that.
About District Leather
It’s been my pleasure to get to know Bill of District Leather over the last few months as we’ve discussed his review and many things leather. A software engineer recently turned full time leather artisan, Bill has a passion for leather. He goes out of his way to secure some of the best and rarest leathers out there for his products, and this passion extends into his construction and design. If the Metro is any indication, I could see District Leather becoming a well-revered name in the leather world.
Construction & Leather
As mentioned, the Metro is constructed with Horween’s shell cordovan leather. It might be said that quality, full grain leather can last a lifetime, but that shell cordovan can last multiple lifetimes. The underside is a very tight suede texture, soft and great to feel, and on the top is that incomparable smooth shine only shell can provide.
Stitching is done by hand, using linen thread, and is expertly uniform. Edge burnishing is gorgeous. District Leather puts a lot of love into these edges, and it shows. They are stunningly smooth. The feel and look is fantastic, some of the best I’ve ever seen.
The construction of this wallet is impeccable from any angle.
Function
In addition to being well crafted of superb materials, the Metro also presents a totally unique take on a minimal billfold wallet. On the left side you’ve got a vertical card pocket with an extra slot cut into it for one quick-access card. On the right, a very unique open card storage area. It’s hard to describe, so I’ll refer to the photos, but this is a fun take on card storage with several ways to use it. I eventually favored having my most frequently used card resting in the bottom slot of this area. I was worried it would fall out of my wallet easily, but never had any problems, and it was super quick to grab and put back.
The Metro is designed to hold 4-6 cards, but District Leather advertises it can hold up to 12, plus some folded cash or receipts. I never pushed my Metro this hard, keeping my card count around six. This is shell cordovan we’re talking about, so anything more than just a few cards will take some wear in, especially if you’re pushing the limits.
This is a very unique design, and it will likely take some getting used to. It’s very cleverly made to keep the Metro thin and still capable of holding quite a few cards. At first I found the design unfamiliar, but eventually I came to like it quite a bit. I appreciated being able to arrange cards in various ways and experiment with what worked best for me.
Aesthetic
Wow. I’m relatively confident I heard some singing in the background when I first set my eyes on the Metro. This wallet is gorgeous. The streamlined design and buttery smooth edge burnishing would make it look good regardless of material, but the marbled color #4 shell cordovan makes it downright sexy. It makes me smile every time I pull it out of my pocket. I’m confident my pictures here can’t do this beautiful wallet justice, but I hope they can give an idea.
Conclusion
Shell cordovan is the king of leathers, and District Leather’s Metro does it superb justice. The gorgeous color #4 shell is complimented by excellent construction, burnishing, and a fresh clever design. Low cost isn’t one of shell cordovan’s virtues, but the Metro is priced competitively for its class–worth every penny. I can’t recommend this wallet enough. It’s a Buy It For Life product that you’re going to love.
