Portrait of Cleveland Motley — Motley Goods, San Francisco
Cleveland Motley and the Story of Motley Goods
Cleveland Motley started Motley Goods out of his San Francisco apartment in 2012. The premise was simple and the execution demanding: make bags worth owning, from materials that last, using a minimalist aesthetic born from the streets of the city. Over a decade later, Motley Goods has sold thousands of bags worldwide, growing entirely through customer satisfaction and word of mouth — no advertising, no retail partnerships. Just product and reputation.
Every Motley Goods bag is constructed in-house, start to finish. Materials chosen for longevity: heavy-duty waterproof Cordura nylon, full grain leather, vinyl liner. Construction designed to outlast the trends that come and go around it. Cleveland describes his approach simply — combine classic minimalist style with superior materials, and always build gear to last a lifetime.
Marc Olivier Le Blanc photographed Cleveland as part of a portrait series documenting San Francisco's community of makers — people who build things with their hands in a city increasingly defined by code and capital. The collaboration made sense: both Marc and Cleveland work at the intersection of craft and commerce, bringing a maker's sensibility to a market that doesn't always reward it.
Handmade in San Francisco Since 2012
Motley Goods occupies a specific and honest position in San Francisco's small business landscape: genuinely local, genuinely handmade, genuinely durable. The Market Street studio — where the sewing machines run and the leather gets cut — is where every Motley Goods product begins and ends.
Commercial and Craftsman Portraits in San Francisco
Marc Olivier Le Blanc photographs San Francisco small businesses, makers, and craftspeople for commercial and editorial portrait work. To discuss a portrait session for your brand or studio, view the commercial portfolio or get in touch.
Marc Olivier Le Blanc is a commercial portrait photographer based in San Francisco. He works with brands and agencies including Levi's, The North Face, Starbucks, and Visa, and his maker portrait series documents San Francisco's independent craftspeople and small business community.
