Perhaps the question asked so often and answered continually is, “Why are your handbags so expensive?”
As any artist can tell you, my creations are an expression of my passion and a desire to share my skill and values. There’s a piece of my heart in each one of my handbags. Long before a handbag is created I spend a considerable amount of time just thinking about what it will ultimately look like and how it will function. I invest a great deal of time in the planning process – the overall design, the construction, the materials and the time required to create it.
Once I’ve sketched out the design, I then need to consider the materials and hardware for this particular bag. I may have most of the supplies I will need but if not, I must consider the cost to purchase them so that I can offer the bag at a fair price. My materials and supply costs can be on the high side; however, corner-cutting is not an option. I believe my customers should get what they pay for without being gouged or paying for middleman markup.
Only then do I proceed with the actual process of setting up machines, (which, by the way, have been a significant investment) and also pattern lay-out, embroidering, cutting, sewing, then trimming and finishing. Hours upon hours, all done with my own hands, heart and mind, not made in mass quantities in a sweat-shop factory in a third world country. Sometimes, I will make similar handbags but most of the time, I know from the start that this one will be the only one I do….a true one-of-a-kind with a name of its own.
Regardless, my purses, totes and handbags are always ultra-unique. No two pieces are ever completely identical, because each one is laboriously assembled by my hands, and I embrace the variances, one to the next. I test my bags at every step – is it sturdy? Will it perform as expected? Will it hold up with continued use? If the answer is anything less than an emphatic “yes” at any point, I must make changes or abandon the project all together.
Once each handbag is completed, I take great pride in how each piece is labeled, displayed and packaged. Whether it will be seen through photographs on my website, or in person at my shop, I want you to know immediately that a great deal of care and time went into it, that each piece has been loved for the time it was simply an idea.
My bags are priced the way they are because they are worth every penny of that price. The price includes not only the physical materials in the piece, but the time, effort and care that went into its creation. If you really look at them, you will realize that each and every bag is as individual and unique as you are, and you will quickly agree that they aren’t expensive at all.
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