ABOUT US

Our story

Gabee is an Australian family-owned leather goods company, designed in the heart of Melbourne since 1949. For nearly 80 years and three generations, the Arnheim family has designed stylish, contemporary leather bags, accessories and travel goods, built on a deep understanding of fine materials.

A family heritage in fine fabrics and tailoring

Our story begins long before 1949. On both sides of the Arnheim family, generations were expert tailors. For hundreds of years, the family also ran a mill in Berlin, Germany, producing premium, high-grade fabrics woven from wool imported from Australia.

That long connection to Australian wool is what first linked the Arnheim family to Australia. In the 1940s they left Germany and made Melbourne their home.

Heinz Arnheim brought that inheritance with him: a tailor's precision, an eye for exceptional materials and a respect for craftsmanship. In 1949 he founded Gabee in his Little Collins Street atelier and named it after his wife, Gabrielle. He set out to create bags of difference, bringing European style to a young Australia.

Nearly 80 years of leather expertise

Since 1949, our reputation for fashion, functionality, detail and quality has remained unchanged. Generations of working with leather have taught us how to select a hide, how it should feel in the hand and how it will age. Natural leather is the hero of every product we create, and nothing should take away from its beauty.

Today we source our leathers from quality tanneries around the world, including in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, India and Africa, and we use Leather Working Group (LWG) accredited leathers. We pair them with timeless, functional design from our Melbourne studio. We don't buy into fast fashion. Instead we carefully curate collections that withstand both time and trends, for the woman and man who knows that attention to detail makes all the difference.

Today Gabee is run by the third generation of the Arnheim family and is home to two brands: Gabee and Cobb & Co.

Sustainability

Sustainability and creating high-quality leather products and travel goods that stand the test of time are intrinsic to our philosophy. We design in Melbourne accessories that can be enjoyed for many years to come.

We use Leather Working Group (LWG) accredited leathers and recycled nylon and materials where possible, in our commitment to sustainability, the environment and the future. Our Melbourne headquarters runs on a 40 kW solar panel system that also supplies excess energy back to the grid.

We are committed to supporting Australian businesses by keeping our processes transparent and engaging only in ethical practices. We are proud to be part of the Slow Fashion Movement, prioritising quality and longevity in everything we create, from our leather to our packaging. Read more about sustainability and ethical sourcing.

Questions? Visit our FAQs or contact us.