Mallika Sharma
India's foremost specialist in luxury leather care, restoration, and preservation — bringing European atelier standards to every piece we touch.
A Journey From Finance to Atelier
Mallika Sharma's path to founding The Leather Laundry was anything but conventional. With a foundation in commerce from Delhi University and a master's in finance from the University of Edinburgh, her early career was steeped in numbers, markets, and global investment strategy.
But beneath the spreadsheets lay a deeper passion - a fascination with craftsmanship, materials, and the quiet luxury of objects built to last. Her years in Europe exposed her to the world of haute leather: the Hermès workshops, the Bottega Veneta ateliers, the historic Italian tanneries where leather is treated not as a commodity, but as art.
Returning to India, she noticed a profound gap. The country was home to a growing class of luxury collectors, yet there was no atelier-standard care service for their pieces. Bags, shoes, and jackets worth lakhs were being entrusted to unqualified hands - and ruined in the process.
So Mallika did what few finance professionals would consider: she enrolled at the Leather Training Centre in Yorkshire, UK — one of Europe's most respected institutions for leather technology - to study cleaning, restoration, and conservation under master craftsmen. The Leather Laundry was born from that decision.
To care for a piece of leather is to understand its journey - from the animal, to the tanner, to the artisan, to its owner. Each scratch tells a story. Our job is to honour that story while giving the piece a second life.
— Mallika SharmaA Foundation in Expertise
Bachelor of Commerce
Foundation in commerce, business management and financial principles - building the analytical mindset that would later drive The Leather Laundry's growth.
Master's in Finance & Investment
Postgraduate specialisation in global finance, investment strategy and capital markets at one of the UK's most prestigious universities. The Edinburgh years also marked her first immersion into European luxury craftsmanship.
Certified Leather Care Technician
Professional training in advanced leather cleaning, repair, and restoration techniques - including specialist modules on exotic skins, suede, nubuck, patent finishes and atelier-grade colour matching used by European luxury houses.
Specialised Mastery
Luxury Handbag Restoration
Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, Dior - every major house's construction techniques and authentic materials.
Colour Matching & Re-dyeing
Italian and Spanish pigment systems, custom colour formulation, fade-resistant finishes for smooth and patent leather.
Exotic Skin Conservation
Crocodile, ostrich, python, lizard - specialist knowledge of structure, hydration and preservation of CITES-protected materials.
Sneaker & Footwear Care
Louboutin red soles, sneaker deep-cleaning, sole unyellowing, Goodyear-welt resoling and luxury shoe restoration.
Leather Goods Authentication
Trained eye for genuine craftsmanship - material, stitching, hardware, and finishing markers across all major luxury houses.
Atelier Operations & Quality
Setting up India's first European-standard leather atelier - from sourcing specialist materials to training master craftsmen.
