My brother and I created IGNES in 2005. I worked three years at Christie’s, London where I introduced friends to handbags from my country –Uruguay- and the reaction was powerful enough to make me realize there was a ready market for well-designed bags and skins not commonly seen in the UK. As for my brother, after working in investment banking in New York and then in a non-profit organization that supports entrepreneurs in developing countries, he was ready to become an entrepreneur himself, excited about the possibility of not only creating great products but of having a positive impact in Uruguay by creating jobs as the company grows. We created IGNES and now work closely with two young designers and a select team of artisans creating each collection. We launched our online boutique in 2006.

The leathers include luxurious pony skin, soft calfskin, hair-on-calfskin, cowhide and exotic Rhea or South American ostrich leather (distinctive for its quill marks). All of the hides and skins used to create IGNES handbags come from animals bred in free range farms or South American estancias. We like to create harmony between the leathers and the detailing, i.e. chains for a stylish finishing or adjustable straps for practicality. When creating each bag we may draw inspiration both the farmlands in South America to urban cities. We like women who buy our bags who are fashion savvy but not victims of brands, they might wear a simple outfit and then express themselves through their accessory: a “statement bag” since they like a good find, a bag somewhat exclusive to them… they also like practical handbags that can easily carry their essentials with enough pockets, iPod/cellular holders, handbag hanger to encourage a stress-free day as they probably juggle 10 things at once!

The very first samples were far from what we thought they would be. At the beginning what we saw it on paper and what turned out was not what we expected! This was a nightmare and the first production took some time until we felt it was perfect. Even then, we tried to get as much feedback as possible for those first IGNES bags to then create a second production (and third…) which was more tailored and truer to the image we are trying to convey. All of which takes time!

The greatest achievement is not just one but rather every time we get great customer feedback. There are so many steps from the very first idea to the after-sale that when the customer tells us they are very happy with the bag, it’s just amazing. She might say she uses it all the time, loves the softness of the leather, the way it fits, had friends comment on it or even the ingenious hanger; we had a person that said she was in the South of France for a weekend and four people commented on her bag! One puts so much thought and work in each product that it really makes us feel like it’s all worth it when someone is truly happy with the final result.