Our Story
Designed in Ireland. Handcrafted in India. Made to wander.
The name - ALĒO
ALĒO takes its name from a small village in the Himalayas, where our son was born.
We remember the mountain air, the snow on the peaks and a sense of wonder that has stayed with us ever since. When it came to naming what we were building, there was only one place to begin.
Australia
Where we took the leap and began building something of our own.
India
Where leather craftsmanship shaped what ALĒO has become.
Ireland
Where ALĒO is designed and calls home.
Founded in 2023 by Tara & Jonathan Jordan, ALĒO grew from a meeting of two worlds. Jonathan brought connections to the European fashion industry, while Tara brought connections to India's leather-craft industry. Having left our full-time jobs in Sydney, we saw an opportunity to bring these worlds together.
Our ambition was to bring the skill and generational knowledge of Indian artisans to the forefront of contemporary European fashion, through pieces that feel individual, considered and made to last.
Today, that connection remains at the heart of everything we do.
Made by hand. Made with intention.
Every ALĒO piece begins with an idea — brought to life through a collaboration between our design process in Ireland and the skilled artisans we work with in India. Together, we explore the possibilities of leather, weaving and form to create pieces that are beautiful, practical and made to last.
Woven by hand
Our woven designs are created using a hand-lacing and interlacing technique, with leather strips brought together by hand to build texture, structure and distinctive patterns into each piece.We work with artisans across two craft hubs along India's eastern coast. Our relationships with them began before ALĒO launched, and they have been part of our story from the very beginning.For our buffalo leather pieces, we use a specialist Toledo finishing technique that brings depth and character to the surface. Other designs feature hand-painted leather, with each finish chosen to complement the form and material. Leather, carefully chosenLeather is central to what we do. We work with vegetable-tanned buffalo leather, alongside grained and smooth calf leather, selected for the character, texture and finish each design calls for.Our calf leather comes from a single tannery, allowing us to trace its origins. We also use vegetable-tanned buffalo leather, although our visibility into its wider supply chain is more limited. We believe in being transparent about the materials we use and continuing to deepen our understanding of where they come from.We value leather for the way it develops character with use, softening and changing over time.Made in small runsWe produce in small runs rather than mass quantities, allowing us to focus on the details of each design. We also reuse leather offcuts wherever possible, making better use of the material.For us, making responsibly means considering the choices behind each piece: the materials, the people who make it and the life it will have beyond the workshop.
Leather, carefully chosen
Leather is central to what we do. We work with vegetable-tanned buffalo leather, alongside grained and smooth calf leather, selected for the character, texture and finish each design calls for.
Our calf leather comes from a single tannery, allowing us to trace its origins. We also use vegetable-tanned buffalo leather, although our visibility into its wider supply chain is more limited. We believe in being transparent about the materials we use and continuing to deepen our understanding of where they come from.
We value leather for the way it develops character with use, softening and changing over time.
Made in small runs
We produce in small runs rather than mass quantities, allowing us to focus on the details of each design. We also reuse leather offcuts wherever possible, making better use of the material.
For us, making responsibly means considering the choices behind each piece: the materials, the people who make it and the life it will have beyond the workshop. Discover our approach to sustainability.
Two perspectives. One shared vision.
ALĒO was founded by Tara and Jonathan Jordan, whose different backgrounds brought them to the same idea: to connect the world of European fashion with India's rich leather-craft heritage.
Jonathan Jordan
Co-founder & Director
“ALĒO is about bringing our worlds together to create something distinctive — a global brand with a considered place in Ireland's fashion scene. As we grow, it's important to remain humble, stay true to our thinking and never lose sight of why we started.”
Tara Chatrath
Co-founder & Director
“For me, the beauty lies in the craft itself. I want to keep these generational skills alive, while allowing the leather to speak for itself. I'm drawn to simple forms, where the material, texture and handwork become the focus.”
As seen in
ALĒO has been featured in publications including Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire,Vogue and Tatler.
We are also proud to be part of Ireland's design community through our memberships of the Council of Irish Fashion Designers and the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland.