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As the iPhone 18 Pro carries over the same aluminium, London leather case brand Casebellé launches a collection in Cherry and Sky Blue, built around a choice between leather that holds its colour and leather that is meant to change.
LONDON, 8th September 2026. Apple will unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at its confirmed 9 September event, and early indications are that the aluminium construction introduced last year is carrying over. That matters, because the finish on Apple’s aluminium models has been one of the most persistent consumer complaints of the past twelve months.
Owners of the Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro reported the finish shifting towards pink or rose gold over weeks of use, posting side-by-side comparison images that were picked up by Tom’s Guide. Early buyers who contacted Apple Support reported the fading being treated as cosmetic damage, which typically does not qualify for warranty replacement.
Separately, Bloomberg reporters found deep blue iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max units showing scuffs after only a few hours on display in stores in New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai and London. Apple attributed the marks to material transfer from worn MagSafe display stands rather than scratching. Asked at the time whether they would buy a case as a result, 78.86% of PhoneArena readers said yes, because they did not like how the marks looked. Just over a fifth said scratches added personality.
The rumoured iPhone 18 Pro colours have fared better. In a PhoneArena reader survey, almost 47% named the expected Dark Cherry finish their favourite, ahead of Light Blue on around 18% and Silver on 4%. Reaction to the body and camera layout has been noticeably cooler. When footage claiming to show an iPhone 18 Pro drop test surfaced in June, online reaction was muted, with most posters expressing mild disappointment that the design was not being updated. Comments circulating on Reddit included “is this not just a 17?” and “that’s a nice looking iPhone 17.01 you got there”.
A choice between two kinds of ageing
Casebellé’s response is a collection built around a distinction the phone itself cannot offer. Both leathers are full-grain Italian. One is finished to stay exactly as it arrives. The other is made to change.
Timeless Luxe uses aniline-finished Italian nappa from a tannery rated Gold against the Leather Working Group Standard, finished to resist scuffs, marks and water so it looks the same in year two. Vintage Luxe uses Italian vachetta, vegetable-tanned in Tuscany with natural bark tannins and dyed through the full depth of the hide. It burnishes at the edges, deepens where the hand rests, and develops a patina over months.
The collection includes both of the colours the survey singled out: Cherry in the vachetta, which mellows towards oxblood with use, and Sky Blue in the nappa, finished to hold its shade.
Marianna V, Founder of Casebellé, said: “Apple stopped making leather cases in 2023 and the replacement didn’t last two years. Most of what filled the gap is plastic with a leather texture stamped on it. We took the opposite approach: two proper Italian leathers, and we tell people honestly what each one will do. The nappa holds its look. The vachetta changes, the edges go glossy, the colour deepens where your palm sits. Some people want the first thing. Some want the second.”
On colour, she added: “Solar Orange was our best-selling colourway for the iPhone 17, and it taught us that people want the case to belong to the phone rather than fight it. Cherry and Sky Blue are our answer to the two colours everyone is talking about for the 18 Pro. If Apple ships a cherry phone and you would rather it stayed cherry, put ours on it.”
The gap Apple left
In September 2023, Apple announced it would stop using leather across its accessories, including iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands, citing the material’s carbon footprint as part of its 2030 carbon neutrality commitment. Its replacement, FineWoven, a microtwill made from 68% post-consumer recycled polyester, was widely criticised for scuffing and pilling, and was discontinued the following year.
Casebellé is a member of the Leather Working Group and purchases 100% of its leather from manufacturers certified against the LWG Standard, verifiable on LWG’s public members register.
On the rumoured folding iPhone, Marianna V said: “A case for it is in development. A folding phone is a hinge problem, and the case has to move with the device, not against it. More when it’s right.”
The collection covers the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in seven colours, priced at £59. Full details at casebelle.co.
