Thanks for the kind words! Unfortunately mine would not be cheap either, starting around $900 and up. This briefcase took me over 80 hours to make, and does not include time for researching about the design and planning out the build. The cost of tools needed also gets expensive quickly, and leather cost isn't cheap. Even with the same pay as someone from McDonalds, factoring in cost of leather, it will reach close to $1000.
Of course, there will always be people who wonder why would anyone pay so much for a briefcase when one from a departmental store with a good brand name will cost half of what I charge. Customization is one, as briefcases are a highly personal thing so the size, pockets, design/look/feel can be changed according to your needs.
Leather quality is another area. I can't speak to every leather item sold in departmental stores, but there's a good chance it's not made of full-grain leather (which is the best quality of leather), and there's also a good chance it's not fully made of leather (just look inside the card pockets of these "leather" wallets).
My items are also hand-stitched using a traditional technique and threads that are pretty substantial, compared to machine-stitching which is generally thought of as not as strong and can unravel easily with more use. Buy once, cry once I guess
And finally there's the "softer" aspect of knowing that your item is made from start to finish by an artisan you contact directly, and that you're not paying for mark-ups by big brands and companies.