Moore & Giles was founded during the heart of the Great Depression by Donald Graeme Moore. Moore began as a pattern cutter for shoes at Craddock-Terry Shoe Corporation in 1906 and worked his way up to the ranks to purchasing when he lost that job in a massive layoff catalyzed by the poor economic conditions of the time. Originally a supplier of “findings”, the Company sold a broad range of components used in footwear constructions to manufacturers in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
When Donald Moore’s son-in-law, W. Vernon Giles, joined the Company in 1935 the name was changed to Moore & Giles. Donald Moore remained with Moore & Giles until his retirement in 1966 at the age of eighty-eight. In the same month that his grandfather retired, Mr. Moore’s grandson, Donald Moore Giles, joined the company.
Don served Moore & Giles for over 50 years from 1966-2018.
Up until the 1980s, Moore & Giles’ primary business had been shoe upper leather, leather lining and sole leather, representing a variety of domestic tanneries. As domestic production declined, the Company diversified as a leather resource to other industries, primarily to the home furnishings industry, but also to the marine and athletic arenas. In the early 1990s, leather sales to the home furnishings industry became Moore & Giles’ primary focus and it moved away from the more price-sensitive, commodity-type leathers to more natural tannages and finishes. These pioneering efforts brought a fashion approach to home furnishings that showcased the visual and tactile beauty of natural leather. During the past twenty five years, strategic partnerships with tanneries in Spain, Italy, New Zealand, South America and the Far East have been cultivated to create access to the world’s finest leather.
The turn of the century saw the business expand its focus from residential manufacturers to an even larger base of architects, specifiers and interior designers, primarily in the high-end hospitality, residential and aviation design arenas. From the lobbies and rooms of the top hotels, to the interiors of celebrated restaurants, to the spaces within artfully designed homes, our leathers grace some of the most exciting and exclusive design projects around the world.
Currently, Moore & Giles employs over 115 people in its headquarters in Forest, Virginia with representation in every major metropolitan area as well as strategic partnerships in England, Germany, France, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Hong Kong, Russia, South Korea and Turkey. Moore & Giles designs and develops the world’s most luxurious natural leathers for leather upholstery, residential, hospitality, aviation and automotive leathers.