Los Angeles-based leather artisan Edwin Maldonado is a master of the lost art of traditional French leather upholstery. Edwin sculpts leather over wood and metal frames using a technique of wetting and steaming hides. His skill at manipulating and hand-finishing leather has been perfected over decades of working for luxury furniture brands.
Maldonado grew up in West Los Angeles. He was an ambitious child but had difficulty finding an outlet for his creative energy. A passion for classic cars in his early teens helped focus his artistic drive; he was drawn to the car customization scene and found he had an aptitude for reupholstering car interiors. His early career was focused on leather upholstery for classic cars. It wasn’t until he met an expert artisan in French leather upholstery that his true path emerged. With the guidance of this mentor, Edwin became a master of this technique. He perfected his craft by creating high-end furniture pieces for luxury brands, antique dealers, and LA-based interior designers. Through the encouragement of a fellow artist, a path emerged, giving Edwin the push to incubate and present his own designs under his own name. He took the leap in 2021 and formed a small but exquisite collection, synthesizing classic French leather techniques with bold designs. Coup d’Etat is honored to be Maldonado’s exclusive West Coast representative.
With the inception of his own collection, Edwin is free to create the furniture forms he is passionate about – designs with exaggerated curves and intricate details.
