Rise Above Leathers

Rise Above Leathers Our accessories are handmade to your individual specs generated at your personal design appointment. Unleash....Never Settle....Rise Above.

The Reason to Rise Above

There are two times in life when we are without a choice: when we taste our first breath and an entire journey lies ahead, and when we intake our last and a flash appears of all that’s left behind. But everything in between becomes a frame of mind you either settle in to, or push aside and place your brand on the world. Rise Above Leathers was born out of the sorrows of a

city struck by an overwhelming natural disaster. A town faced with a choice forced upon them: to rebuild to the status quo and accept just-good-enough, or gaze upon the face of the future and aspire to be reborn. And personally, the inspiration found from this place I call home as it continues to recover, discover, and rise above all that was before the surge in 2008(***). Breaking through the limitations you put on yourself means looking deep inside for a broader scope. This brand is dedicated to those who truly believe that their own way is the best way. Preston

***A portion of all sales from Rise Above Leathers is donated to the ongoing rebuilding & revitalization efforts in the greater Cedar Rapids community

Established in 2009

New shop door decals in place and a QR code to scan while wandering about in .cr
09/01/2025

New shop door decals in place and a QR code to scan while wandering about in .cr

Custom tote bag in a supple cream , ready to carry on as you carry on to your next destination.
08/26/2025

Custom tote bag in a supple cream , ready to carry on as you carry on to your next destination.

3 layers of stains, gels, and sanding on this guitar strap in the style of Duane Allman.   .cr
08/17/2025

3 layers of stains, gels, and sanding on this guitar strap in the style of Duane Allman. .cr

Custom handmade weekender bag for those short getaways, trips to the gym, or any of the in betweens.     .cr
08/14/2025

Custom handmade weekender bag for those short getaways, trips to the gym, or any of the in betweens. .cr

Custom saddle bag that will be a raffle item to raise funds at the 2024 Cranksgiving Food Drive and Bike Ride on Sunday ...
11/09/2024

Custom saddle bag that will be a raffle item to raise funds at the 2024 Cranksgiving Food Drive and Bike Ride on Sunday Nov. 10, presented by my business neighbors and friends

It’s been a minute…. cracked out this black cherry woven crossbody bag for the silent auction at the  walk, a cause that...
08/24/2024

It’s been a minute…. cracked out this black cherry woven crossbody bag for the silent auction at the walk, a cause that’s dear to a co-worker of mine.    

This kid has been singing since birth and music is such a part of her life. What a crazy seven days full of songs, stori...
06/30/2024

This kid has been singing since birth and music is such a part of her life. What a crazy seven days full of songs, stories, and memories. Hanging with and last week in Madison, then a storm cancelled the show, so we packed up and headed to Waukee for round two the next night. She got the royal treatment and hung out in the green room and watched the entire concert from the crew room above the stage. After a late night Sunday, she got back home and went straight to on Monday and her and three other kids learned four 80s synthpop songs in five days and performed them all Friday afternoon. Saturday she got up and performed for the first time on a beautiful Iowa summer day. Tomorrow….probably watch some classic MTV music videos and chillax!

Rise Above Leathers foundation of attributes resides in the realm between the late 1960’s and the mid 1970’s. So, when a...
03/24/2024

Rise Above Leathers foundation of attributes resides in the realm between the late 1960’s and the mid 1970’s. So, when a client steps in my studio and hands me a rough drawing of a watch he had as a teenager and two pictures of him from 1974 fishing in the Northwest Territories of Canada wearing said watch, I knew this would be a special project. Recreated down to the last detail from his photos and his memory….I hope this connects him back to special times on that lake.    

Fresh guitar strap off the bench, my take on the style of Duane Allman. Distressed brown leather with natural colored ba...
01/28/2024

Fresh guitar strap off the bench, my take on the style of Duane Allman. Distressed brown leather with natural colored baseball glove lace and a vintage cinch ring taken off an old horse saddle.      

This year‘s Christmas gift for my wife and daughter was three years in the making. Back in 2020 when the derecho decimat...
12/26/2023

This year‘s Christmas gift for my wife and daughter was three years in the making. Back in 2020 when the derecho decimated Cedar Rapids, I was caught on my way to the airport and my family was at home sheltered in the basement. Once it had passed and I called to check on them, my wife described the sounds of breaking limbs, crashing trees, and a wind like none ever experienced. I made my way home through downed timber and power lines, and upon arrival found that one tree in our backyard that was uprooted was a 100+ year old walnut tree. After weeks of cleanup, it seemed almost tragic to let that be its end. Over the next few years, I enlisted the help of friends to log, slab, design, and bring to life something meaningful and one of a kind. Being that my wife and now my daughter are both musically inclined, a custom guitar seemed only natural. The body of the guitar is solid walnut from fell tree in our backyard and the neck is made of Canadian maple with a black palm fretboard. The artwork was designed by …who took my vision, ran with it, and made it perfect. It was then laser engraved onto the back of the guitar by (who also helped me slab the trunk of the tree), and the whole thing was brought together and finished by a true local master, . I can’t wait to hear the notes and songs that come to life from this guitar for years to come, knowing that in the chaos of life’s storms….that music should be made and endure.  

Custom hand stitched lowball sleeves. Take your home bar up a notch.                   
01/28/2023

Custom hand stitched lowball sleeves. Take your home bar up a notch.      

01/16/2023

Rise Above Leathers shared a post on Instagram: "What a night seeing my sweet Law perform on stage for the first time, only a few weeks after turning 7 years old. Her Irish heritage and spirit truly was showing through on this cover of Zombie. I think for her first live gig she did #...

Address

1203 3rd Street SE, Suite 6
Cedar Rapids, IA
52401

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