It's a beautiful chair at a great price, but it's probably only bonded leather rather than actual leather. Soft and supple in any case, and better than vinyl. Shipping was fast. Individual parts were thoughtfully wrapped to help prevent damage, but then tossed into the same box together without much to keep them from moving about. I'm actually surprised they arrived without damage. It was fairly easy to assemble and looks great in my home. If you're thinking about the headrest option, go ahead and get it. You will have the option of installing it or keeping it off -- plugs are pre-installed in the holes where the headrest would attach to keep it looking nice when not using the headrest. Just pop them out and install the headrest, hold onto them in case you change your mind later. Quality and look gets a bump up with the metal base -- much nicer than the black plastic ones I've seen with most other chairs.