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EDITÉUR PLUS
OCEAN HIDE
Story: Stephan Weilbach
Emile Maree is the son of Shirley Schmidt who came up with
the idea of making leather out of fish skins in South Africa.
Emile has a background in business development, and when
the opportunity arose to run his own business he quit his job
to develop this opportunity further.
Ocean Hide was conceptualised when Shirley Schmidt, the
owner, and her team were researching sustainable fish farm-
ing and came across fish leather. Emile then researched and
collaborated with a local leather tanner to further develop
the product to a workable material as is used in their prod-
ucts today.
For Emile his biggest influence from the fashion industry
would be opportunity, “There is so much opportunity in the
fashion industry which really drives me on a day to day basis.
Every avenue that doesn’t work out seems to open two new