Native Union Clic Marquetry iPhone Case review: Chic leather style

It's not enough just to protect your iPhone from life's little bumps — sometimes you want to give it some panache as well. If that's the case, the Native Union Clic Marquetry iPhone Case will be right up your alley.

Hand-crafted Italian Nappa Leather

Native Union Clic Marquetry iPhone Case: Features

This is not your ordinary iPhone case. This is a case for a person who wants their iPhone case to truly reflect their unique style. The Native Union Clic Marquetry iPhone Case is hand-crafted from Italian leather. Three complimentary shades of leather are seamlessly pieced together and wrapped around a strong, flexible TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) frame. The leather that Native Union uses is thoughtfully sourced from a tannery utilizing the latest in environmentally friendly and sustainable production.

The lip of the case does come up over the screen, which is great for face-down protection. The cutouts for the camera and mute switch are sufficient for full functionality. The bottom of the case is one big cutout, which means that the speakers and Lightning port are wholly unobstructed, but this also means that there's no protection from scratches at the bottom of the phone. A lot of cases do have open bottoms, as it makes putting the case on and taking the case off very easy.

The Sleep/Wake and volume button covers are basically just bumps in the leather, which makes for a smooth look. These button covers do not interfere with functionality at all. The interior of the case is soft and velvety. You'll find branding in three places: a subtle logo on the back near the bottom, "NATIVE UNION" engraved into the leather on one side, and in the soft interior of the case. Wireless charging works fine with the phone inside this case. In fact, you can even get a matching charger if you really want the full set.

The Native Union Clic Marquetry iPhone Case is available for the iPhone 7/8, iPhone 7/8 Plus, iPhone X/XS, iPhone X/XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The color combinations change with each iPhone model, but the current models come in two colors: Rose (in warm shades of light pink, darker pink, and pinkish taupe) and Black (cool shades of gray and black.) Like any leather product, it will age gracefully and develop a patina over time.

Farewell, boring cases

Native Union Clic Marquetry iPhone Case: What I like

I love the fashion-forward look of this case and the beautiful color combination. It looks, feels, and even smells rich. I like the slim form factor, even though I'm aware there is always the trade-off between thinness and protectiveness. The fluffy interior babies my phone so I don't ever worry about this case scratching my iPhone. This is an aesthetically appealing case that will remain my regular rotation.

Not heavy-duty protection

Native Union Clic Marquetry iPhone Case: What I don't like

Since this isn't a heavy-duty case, you're not going to get serious drop protection here. The bottom is totally exposed, so you won't even get scratch protection along the bottom metal portion of the phone. I'd call this more of a light-to-medium case, protection-wise. Also, as you may expect with any full leather case, there is no grip. I don't find the case to be slippery, but if my hands were moist, it might be. As with most leather cases, this is not waterproof.

Stunning good looks

Native Union Clic Marquetry iPhone Case: Bottom line

While this isn't the rough and tumble case to take along on your daring outdoor adventure, it's a slim and gorgeous case that stands out from the crowd. Hand-crafted from sustainably-sourced Italian leather, the geometric pattern consists of three complementary colors connected seamlessly. The leather is wrapped around a sturdy, protective TPU frame and the interior is velvety soft.

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