{wearing the Vaquerita bag}
A lot of times I get asked the question: Why?
Why are you doing this? Why handbags?
There are a handful of reasons as to why I launched Au Mexique, but I chose to start with handbags because I could not find anything with the quality and uniqueness I was looking for, except for a maybe a Balenciaga or Proenza Schouler bag with a price tag that was equivalent to 6+ months of rent.
Sure, there are many contemporary brands (Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Coach) today that do offer great leather handbags at a reasonable price, but I feel like you can get them at pretty much any mall you walk into and that kind of takes away from buying something that is unique and that you can´t find anywhere else. Not to mention that so many of these brands have tags that state “Made in China”, which basically translates to “mass-produced”.
I had Balenciaga taste on a Micheal Kors budget, so I set out to create my own handbags that would suit my desire for the premium quality at a fair price, all while finding a way to help put Mexico on the fashion map.
When I started thinking about vendors, it was important to me that the bags be made in Mexico. Not only would it allow me to support a country that has given so much to me, it would also allow me to keep my prices accessible.
Not to mention that Mexico has been my home for the past nine years (can´t believe it!) and its exquisite and rich culture have become one of my greatest sources of inspiration. I knew that León was home to the best tanneries in Mexico that had the finest, top-quality leather you could find, so my search for a vendor started and ended there.
The bag I am wearing in this post, called the "Vaquerita", has been one of my best-sellers. Since Au Mexique is partly inspired by my Texas roots and the saddle bag has made a major comeback, I knew I wanted to add the stye to the collection. It´s a classic shape that anyone can wear and fits all of your essentials. I also knew wanted a neutral shade that you can wear with anyting, so once I saw this "sand" color when going through leather swatches, it reminded me of the beautiful beaches in Mexico, which attract millions of tourists from all over the world. When naming the bag, "Vaquerita", which means "little cowgirl" in Spanish, could not have been more fitting.
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
