in these dark days of worldwide apocalypse – one needs to keep one’s hopes up. But even more important – one needs to keep one’s pants up! Local belt makers Hoffnung Berlin will help you do just that. Encountering them at a local christmas market, i admired their clean look and quality leather. A two man business founded in 1985 they pride themselves on combining traditional leatherworking methods with modern design. For years i’d kept an old, worn out leather belt (a gift from a ‘special friend’), looking for someone who could use the buckle to create another individual piece. Herr Mathei told me to bring it to them and they would see what they could do. I returned the next week and in the space of thirty minutes i had two fine new belts – one of their own design and another using the heavy buckle of my old belt. things are looking up already!