Like many other Leica users, I am also something of a camera bag addict; I have far too many bags! But as we all realise, there isn’t one bag which is perfect for all situations. 
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Fogg bags was started in 1986 by Nigel Fogg and bee berman. I wrote a little history back in 2020, together with a review of their first all leather bag, the Satchmo. (You can read about it here) . The article  was also published in Leica Society International's Viewfinder magazine issue 53 #2, which members can read on the LSI Website. 
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Very sadly, in the summer of 2023 bee berman passed away. Nigel carried on making bags, but bee had been such a huge part of the equation that he obviously found it difficult. At Viewfinder magazine, we wanted to run a tribute to bee berman, but in the end we decided that probably Nigel preferred privacy. 

The excellent news is that Fogg Bags has had a gradual change over the last 3 years and there has been a calm and ordered transition from Nigel Fogg to a new owner and craftswoman Leslie Lavielle.

Nigel has taught her everything he knows, and now Ell (Leslie) is working day and night to make Fogg Bags back into the success it deserves to be. Ell is still working in Nigel's workshop, and he still pops in to see how things are going on. In the meantime Nigel is spending his time with his other love, renovating Citroen 2CVs.

We thought it would be great to celebrate this news, and after some thought decided to ask Ell about herself. Marke Gilbert and I worked out some questions to send her by email.
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I was going to rework her answers into an article, but her replies tell a much better story than I could ever have managed. I have made a few very small changes to clarify the meaning, but they are very small.
Here they are!
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Bonjour,
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Soooooo....
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I'll do my best... But to answer in english is gonna be quite rough. I might write and then ask my companion to read and probably correct some sentences...We will see.... but i will certainly be quite brief as to write in english is quite a job for me.

We did know each other but without really meeting. We used to live in the same neighbourhood ( 2 villages next to each other). So we would eventually came across and say hello.
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For me, Bee and Nigel were this funny couple, always in a different cool car, as 2CV. I knew they were craftsmen, but would never imagine they would make this kind of quality product. When i heard they worked with leather, it just comes into my mind belts, purses... Not these amazing bags.
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Finally i did really meet Nigel one day in a pizzeria where i used to work sometimes. bee was not in this world anymore. And he was desperately looking for someone to teach his skills and eventually pass his business on. I'm naturally curious.... So i went there....and realised it was not purses but luxury bags.
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Ahah. No background.
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I'm not stupid with my hands. I mean, since i was young i do a lot a craft, sewing, crocheting... I did a lot of personal projects, always loved it.
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What is funny is that I'm not into leather at all. It's not a material i really appreciated, i mean things made in leather is not my cup of tea. It's either too hippie or too stylish.
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So when i discovered the work of Nigel it did change my way of looking at leather work. Mixed with the fabric it really gives a nice classy touch I really fancy.
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When I met Nigel, i was growing vegetables as my main job. I was my own boss, grew vegs on my land for 7 years. I loved it. Still love it. But it's hard work and doesn't make much money..
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I like the old bigger bags like the Bass which I’m planning to add to the range.
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They have a nostalgic touch. They are like travel bags, sturdy, full of pockets.
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The one at Nigels, with the tan fabric and Havana leather are my favourite. They are like the typical bags as i can imagine from before. They look vintage of course, like some adventurers' bags

Working on leather edges, sand, colour coating, apply bees wax... it's a long process but i think it make a big difference !
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I may try to add feet at my bag to make an extra protection, so when the bag is on the floor it is a bit higher and doesn't touch it.
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The finishing so stitches are all properly hidden. 
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The bag for bags. So when people receive their bags it's neater, more luxurious in a way. It's like a gift for yourself.
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Now on Robert White website, you have access to a special leather care kit, it's a french company call Trimadel. It's high quality stuff if you want to take care of your bag and make him last longer.
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I do love your B-sharp and i'm really glad to have the sand fabric back in the game. I think it's my favourite. 
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But yeah, one of my favourite piece is the Blue B major. The blue is profound and vibrant. And the lining is very special.
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Before planning to design new bags ( I'm not really ready for that right now i want to know how to make these bags by heart first, plus i don't necessarily have the skills, i would need to learn more about the process of making a bag, as how to draw and then make this drawing into a template).
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At the moment I'm playing with what already exists. So when i started the work by myself i did a lot of research to try to get all my supplies in France. Didn't manage but still looking ! I found new lining as the striped one and i really love it. Also the herringbone one under the flaps, comes from a small cooperative from South of France.
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I take a lot of care to work with respectable businesses, French if possible, who works in the right way, conscientious. For example, the cooperative that makes the herringbone fabric, is called Virgocoop . They try to relocate textile by working with the hemp sector and wool.
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The lining in the blue bag come from an artist, Fétiche, not far from where i live. She does her own screen printing. Her work is beautiful. I'm really lucky to have access to these beautiful product around me and i want to share them with the world ! 
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But to answer to your question, i might have a try for a bum bag. And dig up accessories that already existed in the Fogg range before and update them.

Good question. Life is like a big run. But a nice one !
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I have a 4 years old boy, we are living in a hut in our garden cause we bought a house that need to be completely restored from the roof to the electricity... I'm part of an association and just recently I’m part of the village council.

So life is full but full in a very nice way. We live in a tiny village (100 residents), i go to my  workshop by bike, and i'm typing these words outside in my garden under the sun with loud music.

So i can say it's not too bad ! What's more difficult is to take the time to not make bags to develop the business as right now, to take the time to answer to you instead of making a bag that actually give me the money to live.
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To be honest, at the moment, i'm looking to expand in France. Beause as far as i know, Fogg brand is not really known by french photographers... And I'm French so it's a bit frustrating. 
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Plus i need to make my place and promote that Fogg bag is not dead !

I'm actually trying a range of hand bags to be able to sell my work in shop around me. Figeac and Lot is a touristic place, so there is a few craftsmen shop around, plus i could fulfill my passion for colors and fun patterns. 
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I think I'm gonna let Nigel answer this one!

This is it! Hurray!!
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I first discovered Fogg bags around 2010, when they had already moved to France. My first bag was a B-Laika, Then I bought the larger B-Sharp around 2012. This became my favourite bag for several years.

Then in January 2017 Fogg announced 'The Last Waltz' which was roughly the same size, so I bought one and gave my B-Sharp to Silas, who is still using it today.

The  Last Waltz has been a companion of mine for the last 8 years, but when Ell said that she had found some material in the original sand colour and she could make another B-Sharp, I jumped at it!
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The B-Sharp feels a little more solid than the Last Waltz (which is classified as a satchel). It's a perfect size, and I can fit my M11 with a 35 Noctilux and the 75 APO in one side and an SL3 with one of the perfect APO Summicron lenses on the other. There are a lot of extra pockets, some with zippers, some with flap covers and an open one at the back (perfect for popping your phone in).

I have the carrying handle, because the bag sits on the passenger seat of my car and it makes it easy to grab it quickly when needed. Personally I'm not so certain about the detachable carrying strap (I liked the way the old strap slid all the way around), but I think for most people it will be a valuable addition. What's more, the fittings are like all the brass on the bag, beautifully made and lovely to handle.

Ell's attention to detail is stunning (as you can see from the pictures)  and I really like the new striped material for the inside.
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I have now had the new bag for 3 months and whilst it is looking a little more 'lived in' the sand colour has stood up to our muddy environment pretty well.

It has quickly become my most used bag and I guess will remain that way for some time to come.  
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The new arrangement is that Ell is selling bags directly in France through her new Fogg Website ( click here ). You can always contact Ell here if you want a customised bag using the contact section (even if you aren't in France).

For the rest of the world distribution is by Robert White in the UK ( click Here ). Robert White have been selling Fogg bags for at least 20 years, and you can call and talk to them.

Jack Lockyer at Robert White can manage all the complicated rituals of transport of Fogg's bags all over the world (including the US of course). They currently have the Can Can, the B-Sharp and many other bags in stock, so the days of long deliveries are over!
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It seems to me that Fogg is now in very good hands, better than that, it is in hands which very much respect the much loved history of the brand. I’m not sure whether Ell consciously wrote I in lower case (i) but I have left it that way because it echoed so well with bee berman always using lower case for her name. 

Finally a special thanks to Marke Gilbert who was largely responsible for the excellent questions to Ell. Thanks of course also go to Ell for spending precious work time sitting in her garden, listening to loud music and answering these questions.
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Jonathan Slack has been testing cameras for Leica since 2009, he has also been writing about them, and all the old articles can still be found on this website (maybe an index is coming!).

There are no adverts, no click bait and nobody (Leica or anyone else) pays for these articles to be written. This is in an attempt to remain objective and not to be distracted by the hunt for clicks.

Jonathan Slack is also a member of the board of LSI (Leica Society International).
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Click on the Leica Society logo below to look at the Leica Society International website where you can find a huge resource of Leica material and join the society to learn more about Leica and photography and to meet up with like minded people. You can also join in with our new 'connect' module with sharing photos and chats and competitions.
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