I have a strong fixation for pleasure. For Politique, our raison d’être is pleasure. I went to graduate school for human sexuality and ironically pleasure was anything but near. But it was during this time in grad school, between the moments of sleep and study, the late nights scavenging the streets of San Francisco for random industrial type materials and salvaged fabric when I found pleasure and when Politique was born.  The unexpected combinations of old and new –graduate school, American culture, a visceral attraction to materials and color, and my Midwestern roots, are what underlies my design and where I am today. I’ve recently just launched my 1st collection for the Fall 2011 season.

I primarily use vintage deadstock automotive and marine upholstery. Vintage deadstock means the material is old but never been used. This stuff does a few things really well: it’s easy to clean, comes in a variety of colors, durable, UV protected, and animal friendly. The deadstock part makes it eco-friendly. Newly manufactured materials I use are organic cotton and faux leathers made from polyurethane vs. its more toxic counterpart, PVC. Although more eco-friendly than leather, I’ve gone through great lengths to avoid using newly manufactured PVC based fabrics. In addition to being eco and animal friendly, I feel what makes my bags so special is the juxtaposition of color, lines and, materials. Today, I’m inspired by the 50’s and 60’s as it lends a certain quality I presently wish for. As social and political cultures change, so too will my handbags. What will remain constant is the juxtaposition of bold color and materials.

During my grad school years, I originally began designing/sewing bags out of personal necessity for self-expression. However kitschy, the emotion and stability I feel through through1950’s color and culture evokes a sorta tongue and cheek & happy-go–lucky side of my design, drawing upon the pleasures of my rural Midwestern upbringing. From the kitsch that my mom literally brought to the table (with her cornflake casseroles in pastel glassware) to my dad, a nostalgic vessel of the baby boomer d.i.y. turned craftsman generation. inspire my use of color and commitment to manufacturing Politique handbags by hand and in the U.S. My love for mid-twentieth century modernism has a rather tactile sexual/social revolutionary spirit to it, influencing what & how I use materials.

Politique comes from the idea of a women making her own world. Her choices, her politics, her relationships, both the men and women. How she composes and authors her life. This is nothing new. Essentially, every designer has a different take on this. Mine is: Organic. Conscious. Playful. I’d like to increase the public’s awareness of non-leather handmade bags. It’s highly specialized, and in some ways esoteric work. I love what Stella McCartney is doing in this area. She found people in Italy who do this kind of work. When you buy a bag, you may take the time to understand what it’s made from. And through that process you may discover a different way to do things.

Trying to achieve the detail of my Abacus bag was a major learning curve, and I sure felt the growing pains of non-leather construction. It’s a painstakingly tedious and long process. I finally found a handbag maker here in SoCal who does the work. But I learned an invaluable lesson: take the time to find the best people. You’ll never regret it. I suppose it’s listening to stories from women who had worn a Politique bag and felt pleasure. Women feeling pleasure is everything.