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| Topsy turvy turtle zip pouch, Japanese fabric, $8 |
Mushroom granny bag, Japanese canvas, $40 |
Owls stubby clutch, Japanese canvas fabric, $18 |
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When I was small, I wanted to become a fashion designer. I used to wake my Sister up in the middle of the night, because an idea for a dress would pop into my head, and I would sketch it out. Of course, I usually was unable to make heads or tails of the design in the morning. My Mom sewed most of our clothes growing up, and I would take whatever bits and pieces she had leftover, and hand stitched clothes for my dolls. My Father, wanted to be an artist, he constantly encouraged me to develop my artistic side by giving me art sets for my birthday every year. I went to F.I.D.M out of high school, and graduated in 1997 with an AA in fashion design. After working as a freelance designer for a few years, I quickly fell out of love, with the idea of becoming a womans wear designer. I worked for years in the visual and merchandising end of a big box retail department store, and started designing and selling handbags in 2003 on the side on E-bay. I quickly gathered a small following of loyal customers, but with a full time job, I found myself un-able to continue. In December of 2006, my fiance and I moved to a small town on the Southern Oregon coast, where I started to actively sell once again on Ebay, and I also decided to give Etsy.com a try. I discovered the joy of reading craft blogs, crafter.org forums, and found my designs going in a very different direction from where they had started. I no longer tried to re-create perfectly manufactured purses, but developed my own interpretation of the handmade/zakka movement.
I mainly use Japanese fabrics in my designs. I am always in awe of the unique, fun, and childlike designs they have which contribute greatly to my designs. It is impossible to look at a fabulous print, and not see a million possibilities and color combinations! My customers vary so that it is hard to say who my target audience is, exactly. I sell to Mom's, teenagers, and fellow handbag designers. I got it into my head that I wanted a piece of vintage, mushroom print fabric so I could make a purse for myself. I of course did a search on E-bay, and found a shop that sold Japanese fabrics! It was love at first sight. I belive that handbags should be just as beautiful on the inside, as they are out. You will never see any of that typical 'lining' fabric that is so widely used in the industry. I allways use bright polka dot, stripe and gingham fabrics.
In terms of nightmares - well, I once made a 'bowling bag' type purse out of faux fur...... bad idea. My greatest achievement, besides having my handbags sold in boutiques worldwide, is knowing that the persons who purchase your creations love them as much as I do. I have quiet a few customers worldwide that tell me, time and again that my designs are fantastic, and they cannot wait to see what else I come up with. What more can a girl want? |
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What is your name? |
Julia Bravo |
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Where are you from? |
A small town on the Oregon Coast |
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Where do you live now? |
Los Angeles |
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How old are you? |
31 |
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Do you have a design background? |
Yes! I have an AA in fashion design. |
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Do you still have a day job? |
No. |
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What year were your bags born? |
Simbiosis started in 2005 but I have been making handbags for much longer than that. |
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Bag brand name: |
Simbiosis |
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What is their retail price range? |
$5 - $50 |
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Where can a shopper buy your bags? |
www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=33137 |
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For more information, contact: |
www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=33137 |
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Designer Archive:
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February 19, 2010 - Seven Hearts - Heather Knowlton
February 17, 2010 - Paul Herrera - Paul Herrera
February 15, 2010 - Felice Robin Designs - Felice Robin Weiss
February 13, 2010 - Analogue Chic - Allison McConnell
February 10, 2010 - Urbanknit - Dolapo James
February 08, 2010 - Niesh by sheeba - Sheeba Jethani
February 05, 2010 - KRISHNA RAMJI - Krishna Ramji
February 03, 2010 - Susan Hayward of London - Susan Hayward
February 01, 2010 - Christian Marie - Christian Marie Campo
January 29, 2010 - Elspeth New York - Elizabeth Phillips
January 27, 2010 - The Dot Miller Collection - Dot Miller
January 25, 2010 - Monttalti - Zoe Suarez
January 22, 2010 - chicks and girlies - Sheri Sopczak
January 20, 2010 - Tomboy Totes - Elisa Later
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