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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:
Show more... | More Designers:
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August 16, 2010 - Jenny N. Design - Jenny Nguyen
August 13, 2010 - Noriko Design - Noriko Fukada
August 11, 2010 - Lily Zane - Lily Zane
August 09, 2010 - Adrienne - Adrienne Grahn
August 06, 2010 - morelle - Katie Grigoratou
August 04, 2010 - Fiaz Co - Kathy Salas
August 02, 2010 - Renée Cascarina - Renée Cascarina
July 30, 2010 - TEICH - Allison Teich
July 28, 2010 - BAGSLAG - Lee Sylvester
July 26, 2010 - NAUTANKI by Carina - Carina Advani
July 23, 2010 - Pink Koala Design - Katrina Griffis
July 21, 2010 - Kristena Witherspoon Designs - Kristena Witherspoon
July 17, 2010 - CATHY - Cathy de Leon
July 16, 2010 - jlouise - Janet Fichtner
July 14, 2010 - mony's - Mona Harake
July 12, 2010 - Rives Parker Handbags and Accessories - Darlene Rives-Parker
July 10, 2010 - A Woven Life - Elkie Soto
July 08, 2010 - Joe's Brand - JoElynn Welsh
July 05, 2010 - Unique Crochet Collection by Inna - Inna Bubnov
July 02, 2010 - Kahri by KahriAnne Kerr - KahriAnne Kerr
June 30, 2010 - Cyclodelic - Amy Fleuriot
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