Case Studies Club Business Strategy School

Case Success Guide

Overview

Artisan Armor Co., a niche yet globally renowned supplier of handcrafted medieval armor, is facing a fork in the road. The artisan enterprise—equal parts historical fidelity and cinematic spectacle—has been tapped to outfit three simultaneous international productions by a major streaming platform. A dream commission, but with strings attached: sustainability mandates, strict delivery timelines, and geographically dispersed production sites.

The question is no longer just how to craft exquisite armor—it’s how to reforge the very business around modern demands without dulling the edge of what makes them exceptional. This analysis evaluates the strategic options available to Artisan Armor Co. through a lens that marries artisanal integrity with global scalability, offering a decision framework built for complexity, not comfort.

Backstory

Artisan Armor Co. began as a passion project—two brothers in a dimly lit forge, shaping chainmail and cuirasses with the kind of devotion usually reserved for saints or lunatics. Their reputation spread not through glossy marketing but word-of-mouth among theater producers, museum curators, and collectors with deep pockets and deeper nostalgia. The work was precise, obsessive, and—most importantly—authentic.

Over the years, the team grew to 12 master artisans and apprentices, each specializing in a different aspect of medieval craftsmanship. Their client list now includes top-tier Hollywood studios, European heritage festivals, and even a Saudi prince who commissioned a full Gothic plate set for his private armory. But this growth came tethered to increasing demands. Studios now want quicker turnaround times. Collectors demand provenance. And film insurers require safety modifications invisible to the camera but essential to the performer.

Recent months brought turbulence. Damascus steel—the soul of their premium blades—became nearly impossible to obtain due to instability in...