Back when mobile phones were analogue devices and four times the size of those on offer today, a leather case was the de rigueur accessory, and often given as a free gift by retailers to push a certain model.  But like the phones themselves these were often bulky or overly fussy, and unless your phone led a particularly difficult life, abandoned soon after the novelty had worn off.

It’s refreshing then, to see a leather case that’s not at all bulky and as stylish as the phone which it covers.  Proud Concept’s Classic range of iPhone 4/4S cases are made from gorgeous vegetable-tanned Australian leather, hand crafted to fit tightly around a traditional hard shell case and available in several different colors with a variety of designs too.

You can see the Crimson ‘Upside Down Collection’ and the Dark Slate Blue ‘Luxe Collection’ cases in the photos below, but of course they only tell half the story, as a leather case is all about the feel.  Proud’s leather is soft and warm to the touch and adds extra grip to your phone, while the design is embossed into the surface and has a slightly gritty texture to it.

The leather’s grain is very attractive on both the inside and the outside, with the inner layer being a simple black panel rather than continuing the external color.  Holding the case up to your nose reveals a subtle leather aroma too.

Cutouts on the top, bottom and side allow access to all the iPhone’s ports and buttons, while a large aperture on the rear lets the camera lens peak out.  Fitment is just like any other minimalist case, with the sides gripping the iPhone’s antenna band to keep it in place.  The fit’s good too, although I would have preferred a slightly longer volume/mute switch cutout, as on the 4S the volume down key is a little too close to the edge and awkward to press.

The design doesn’t offer any lay-on-the-table protection, however the corners are all well protected and the leather should withstand a good few knocks.  In comparison to lighter cases such as Boomslank’s Barely There shell, Proud’s Classic does add some bulk to the iPhone, but not so that it becomes too heavy or ungainly, but rather just enough to make it more manageable in the hand.

It’s also worth mentioning the attractive packaging the Proud cases come in too, as the slide-out design is reminiscent of the boxes a good quality tie comes in, making it feel all the more special.

Proud’s Classic leather cases are elegant, subtly styled, well-made and the tactile leather is infinitely more classy and appealing to the touch than wrapping your iPhone up in cold plastic!

Each case is priced at $39.99 and available direct from Proud’s website.