Five years ago, HP's Global Head of Design Stacy Wolff and his team asked themselves a simple question: Could our technology products be more human? The metals and plastics that have long been used to make electronic devices are certainly functional and simple to construct, but are arguably lacking in warmth and tactility.
"Have you sniffed your PC recently?" asks Wolff. "Other than a whiff of ozone, they generally really don’t have a smell, there is no memory associated with them. It’s pretty cold. We wanted something that offered more than that, and that was our mission.”
Eager to design a completely new notebook that could evoke an emotional connection with its user, the HP Design Team began a search for a game-changing material. However, instead of experiments in a laboratory with futuristic high-tech finishes, the team’s search took them to the tannery. Inspired by the timeless leather cases and straps that housed gadgets such as cameras and sewing machines, the team dreamt up a laptop that wasn't just wrapped in leather, but was in fact made from one continuous piece of it.