Justine Schafer, Cape Cobra

HER STORY
Lothar Schafer honed his skills in maroquinerie in his native Offenbach, Germany, during the 1950s. Travels to Egypt would bring him to meet his future wife Denise, of Frano-Italian and Lebanese descent. Together, they embarked upon a journey down the continent, bringing classical European skills and influence along with them. In Cape Town, the family built a business set to last generations. Today, the family oversee over 80 South African artisans and continue to instill the unwavering quality, pursuit of beauty and age-old traditions of the handcraft brought to them all by Lothar and Denise.
Lothar and Denise’s legacy continues to thrive in the hands of their sons Robert, second-generation master artisan with over 4 decades of experience and Richard, whom heads up the sales department of the business. Their granddaughter Justine, a graduate of Parsons New York, joined the company nine years ago to rise through the ranks, becoming the Creative Director of their in-house brand.