My first sewing experience was back in Grade 8. I sewed a cute cotton wrap-around skirt, no buttons, no zipper… simple enough. Well, I thought it was going to take me forever to finish but I did. It won 3rd prize in the end-of-term contest. I was quite proud of it. I wore it like a badge that entire summer. Ever since then, I had been sewing almost everything, learning everything on my own. I did prom, summer and party dresses. For extra money during university, I made baby clothes, curtains, slip-covers, pillows. I also made wedding gowns, including my own finishing it the night before my own wedding day – big debacle by the hired designer, long scary story.

There were lots of mistakes made. There were many times when I felt I was just muddling my way to finish my projects. But that only inspired me to improve and to learn better techniques. So I read, I watched sewing shows and I bought second hand clothes just to tear them apart to see if I could sew them back again. Sometimes, I managed.

I love all sorts of art. It is a big part of my life. However, I was not educated in this. Instead I studied Mathematics and Computer Science. In fact, I went totally on a different fruitful path….the world of IT (Information Technology). I was a consultant for almost 14 years and loved most of it. But, just like any dragged out career, it stopped giving me opportunities to be creative, it became repetitive and it became 1-2-3. So, I resigned. But before that, like a typical Type-A, left-brain person, I thought about what else I can do. I can’t just quit and be doing nothing. But did I want to do the same thing? Uh, no!

So, with the encouragement and support of my husband and friends, who, by the way, have benefited from my sewing skills, I launched Paco+Lupe in Summer of 2007.

Why bag designing? Well, just like all other girls, I love bags. However, I do hate badly designed and poorly made bags. The zipper just has to open the right direction. Cell phone has to have a convenient pouch that is within quick and easy reach. The straps should be flexible and have right comfortable length(s). Important things should be secure in it. It should all sorts of features, inside and out. And lastly, a bag should be as natural as possible - meaning, no leather, no plastic, no vinyl, no synthetic, no “pleather”. Now that’s a challenge. How can we make anything sexy and fun with cotton, linen or even jute? Well, it is possible. With the right print, fabric weight, ornaments and support, a bag can be made to last long and can also be extremely functional and stylish. Bags made with less junk but certainly can hold all of yours. Now that’s good for the earth.

Designing and making bags certainly satisfy my constant craving to create. But, I have to say, hearing from buyers telling me how happy and appreciative they are with their new bags makes it all worth it. My right brain has never been happier!