Handbag Designer Shares Journey and Inspiration

Emily Blumenthal

Hi and welcome to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast with your host , Emily Boomenthal , handbag designer expert and handbag fairy godmother , where we cover everything about handbags , from making , marketing , designing and talking to handbag designers and industry experts about what it takes to make a successful handbag . Welcome to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast . We have Doris Ischiairdo from Doispe . Am I pronouncing it correctly ? Yes , yes , yes , Doispe , Doispe . Plus , you have the coolest accent . What is your accent ? It's all over the place , isn't it ?

Doris Izquierdo

I think so . Yeah , it's like a mix of different things and , of course , Mexican , and if I get upset , it just comes more .

Emily Blumenthal

you can hear more of the Mexican , but you have like an Irish inflection or something Like where's your English ? It's not American . That's what I mean .

Doris Izquierdo

Oh yeah . Well , I studied British English and then I lived in Australia . That's it , oh yeah .

Emily Blumenthal

Oh , my God , that's what I meant , because I love listening to you speak , because it's always like oh boy , this isn't the standard . You know , girl from Mexico living in the US , it's like she's definitely been around .

Doris Izquierdo

Yeah , yeah , for sure that , that's for sure yeah .

Emily Blumenthal

Oh my God . So let's go back to the beginning . So you are originally from Mexico . Yeah , you were born , yeah , born and raised there . My family's there , yeah . So how did you fall into this world of handbags ? Because we can get into , you know your brand and what it means and the whole eco vision , because you've been doing this for a super long time .

Doris Izquierdo

Yeah , well , I got into the handbags basically because I wanted to study fashion With the Mexican culture . It was kind of like my pines . You didn't want me to go abroad and live by myself . When I was 18 years old I was like , no , how are you so young , you know ? It's like completely different than how it's in the US . And so they didn't let me study fashion . So they convinced me to study industrial design . So I did industrial design , which was great . I don't I don't regret it . I'm actually very grateful I did it that way . So , but when I was doing industrial design in Australia , my sister asked me like do you ?

Emily Blumenthal

wait a second . So your parents wouldn't let you leave to study fashion , but they would let you leave to go all the way to Australia . Just young industrial design so .

Doris Izquierdo

But that now , because I started in Mexico City and I started in industrial design and then I just wanted to really steal , I really wanted to go abroad and there was just this thing that I always wanted to do , since I was like maybe I don't know 15 years old , Like I would love to stay open to late watching these independent movies . We've done all that . It was called Canal On C , Mexico City and there were like have these independent films and there were like films about fashion and , like you know , fashion TV also was Fashion TV was a vibe , it was everything .

Emily Blumenthal

Oh my God , I remember that Right yeah , with Elsa Clench from . It was Canadian and said welcome to fashion TV with Elsa Clench and you would just watch the shows and you're like , oh God , to be part of that , because that predated everything . Having access to fashion week influencers , all that . It was like industry and that was it .

Doris Izquierdo

Right , right . So I loved watching that and I always kept dreaming about that world , of course , like abroad , not knowing Mexico , and just kind of having as well the challenge of being with people from like different cultures and not in my first language and just you know , kind of like that whole adventure and fashion as well , right , anyway , so I started industrial design . I started industrial design and then I always wanted to go somewhere else and then , as soon as I had the opportunity , my parents told me well , you know , my idea was that I was going to go to Italy . And then my dad told me , like , if you want to go to Italy , stay one more semester and then you go and you stay in Italy . No , but then the opportunity to Australia came and I was , like you know , I really want to go now .

Emily Blumenthal

How did Australia happen ? That's so random .

Doris Izquierdo

No , yeah , Cause that was like kind of like an opportunity that I'd go through my uni , the uni where I started in Mexico . So I was like thinking , okay , well , I don't know , I just really wanted to go away and I loved that idea that it was like so far away . And I also thought , you know what ? I've always been somehow of the same way . That's like doing things differently , like how all the people do . Wait , what number child are you ?

Emily Blumenthal

Second um , the baby one ? Ah , there's two of you , yeah , yeah . And you have an older sister , yeah , who colors in the lines , does everything the right way , follows the rules , is the reliable one . Is she still there ? Yeah , well , she's now in Mexico City , yeah , yeah , yeah , okay . So that all tracks , okay . So that makes sense . All right . So they already had a daughter who was doing the right thing , so you were doing the right thing , but , like I need to get the hell out of here , I wanted to explore .

Doris Izquierdo

You know , I don't know , there was yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah . So then I think my mom told me , like boy , if you go there , you know you're going to be so far away and something happens . And then , the more than she would describe how far away was Australia , the more that I was like , yes , I need to go . And then also start thinking , you know what everyone in the design world looks out in Europe as you have to go there , like that's the only way or that's the only thing happening Right . I mean , yeah , I started by culture and everything .

Doris Izquierdo

Yes , like in Europe , there's a lot of things that started there , but at the same time , I felt like , yeah , but there's also other countries that for sure have great things happening Right , like you know , like right now , for example , mexico City is super trendy . Yes , but we have like , and you're not there and yeah , but like there's this thing about like , oh , like kind of Mexico City's just not having these great things , but we always have these great things . We don't even know about it . Uh-huh , yeah . So that's the same way that I was feeling at that time . I mean , I was kind of like feeling like Mexico was kind of like left out , even though , like I knew that we had a lot of great things and like , for example , like in these kinds of Australia , I was like , you know , no one even talks about it . Some's going to go and do like even the different thing that everyone goes to Europe . I'm just going to go to Australia , so that's why I went to Australia .

Emily Blumenthal

Where are you at when ? Melbourne , sydney , melbourne , melbourne , ah , you know , it's so interesting because my friends who are from Melbourne always referred to Sydney as Sid Vegas . You know , because it's so much more like LA and Melbourne is so much more of a European vibe . I love , love , love , love Melbourne . It's like you don't even know where you are because it's such a cross section of so much Right , right , right . Yeah , how long were you ?

Doris Izquierdo

there . Well , I guess I say this for a part of my uni so two years , yeah , something like that , and then I kind of have a little bit of like memory during that time because my dad passed away after I like block a lot of like period of my life , yeah . So that's when people are just like , well , what happened ?

Emily Blumenthal

No , my husband , his dad , passed when he was really young and like you ask him about anything and there's a blank space like I don't know . Yeah , I tell you , ask someone else . Yeah , trauma will do that to you . Did you go home right after that ? Did that change everything for you ?

Doris Izquierdo

Yeah , yeah , that definitely did . Yeah , for sure . That's why , like I have like blurry things , I mean , that's also why I decided to get back to Mexico and stay in Mexico . And yeah , when I grew up , I always had this thing about Mexico was the first thing , because that's how my parents told me , and the best thing after Mexico was actually Germany .

Emily Blumenthal

Oh yeah that's amazing .

Doris Izquierdo

So , like I always had , that's something that for sure I was have been wanted to show in my brand and like how the beauty of Mexico in different ways , right ? So when I was in Australia and my sister asked me so what are you perpetuating ? Do you want to like start on visas or something ? What about if I think about something ? And that's what I thought like , oh , at that time in Australia there was nothing about and nothing Mexican , right , and I will always get really good compliments of three things Just for like showing that my Mexican passport at the club or things . Wow .

Doris Izquierdo

So , stan , like you know , of course , valuing more Mexico and everything . So it's like , ok , great , what about a handbag with that Mexican handcrafts that are like made by native Mexicans ? You know , like God , tommy , so with Chorles , or you know these different groups and but at time was also kind of like now is also trendy , but at that time it was kind of like seeing , like why you , you seen that Like it's kind of like I don't know it was not like thing to do , right , but I wanted to show that like I wanted to have like , ok , yeah , passion is great , but what else about the world and what else about ? You know , creating something that is for trade and means , like you , being respectful for the work from these people , especially with the ethnic groups that people usually try to get things for cheaper .

Emily Blumenthal

No , this is so interesting because you , without even knowing it , were developing the DNA of your brand right , the core values , the core competencies , what important key points . And I doubt , without you , having left Mexico , you would have been able to identify , and the trauma you even went through , I doubt you would have been able to identify what makes your brand special , because these are values that have now become special to you that you didn't recognize before .

Doris Izquierdo

Right , Exactly , and I somehow didn't know exactly where they were coming from

Becoming a Handbag Designer

Doris Izquierdo

.

Doris Izquierdo

And through the time I started realizing like , yeah , especially like , for example , now I just became a US citizen , like literally last week , and well , I was like I was talking with someone . I was like , you know , I never , ever had in my bulk at least the US . I never had this idea of coming here , but like from here , which I'm grateful about it and everything that this country has gave me . But at the same time I started thinking like how was for me and why I never really had this idea like comparing , like how usually in Mexico , for example , like people would come here for like right , shopping or things like that , but in my family , like my dad used to say like no , no , we ain't gonna buy and support Mexico and made in Mexico . We need to be proud about big Mexicans . Whenever we will like kind of as well , buy something that it was not from made in Mexico . It was like European right , when is Mexico ? Like I never came to Disney Cause I would be like right , right , right .

Emily Blumenthal

All these things , and did you ever make it to Disney ? I haven't yet .

Doris Izquierdo

Oh my God . So then I started realizing I always have this thing , unconsciously like working for the people and , like my mom was always like I'm like very involved with the community as well and helping everyone , and she also , at some point the same thing , was in a party for like becoming a senator or like a party that represents the people , things like that . My dad , like when he was also like young , she was involved in something it's called like it's this entire show which she's like a movement that happening before the Olympics in Mexico and right , right , that's actually in France , and kind of like went all the way to Mexico . It was the same thing to kind of like for the people , like if you yeah , I'm resuming that way you know right , it's just not going to the pinto history , or Well , no , no , no .

Emily Blumenthal

This is why this is important , because you know handbags . I'm sure you've heard being a designer on your own and now obviously also working for another brand . You know you hear over and over that it's very niche , right , it's very specific , but the reality is , which is so interesting ? Everybody everywhere needs , uses , wants , covids , lives with for a handbag . It's an integral part of who we are as a culture , as a people , going way back to the 1300s . It dates back . So you know , it's part of who we are as women , it's an extension of who we are , and I think it's really authentic in terms of how all this goes into your journey of becoming a handbag designer , because at this point you're back in Mexico and now you're trained as an industrial designer . Then what Right ?

Doris Izquierdo

I feel like that's also the interesting part of generally about fashion . Like people think to think , oh , you know , fashion , it just doesn't really have to do anything with me and I don't like fashion or like fashion doesn't represent me . But at the end , when you think about it , you go deep about someone's look no , and I'm not telling you like an influencer , I'm just like anyone on the street and you ask them about why they got that shirt , why they wear that necklace , why they're wearing that , and then it brings something about their childhood , their family , what they want to be or what they used to be , or you know , at the end , what it is like . Again , like you were saying , like an extension of ourselves . So yeah , yeah , yeah . And that's the coolest part I think about fashion that people sometimes don't really realize no , yeah , so yeah , it was like for me .

Doris Izquierdo

It was like that I didn't notice that , how strong it was . I mean , how my parents put that so much into my head of being super proud of being Mexican and showing made in Mexico and all that stuff . And like through the time I've been realizing I'm like , oh , yeah , now I get it . Yeah , I get that . So true , and then like my brand started like that . I kind of wanted to show what , like indigenous people were making with , like you know , through handbags , and it kind of kept evolving and from that to like being socially responsible , to like also there were not many options for eco-friendly materials at that time , and then , like you know , when there's these other options available , evolve as well . For short to that , because that's an old saying that I feel very proud to say that as well . My parents always taught me of being very responsible with that .

Emily Blumenthal

When the bar no waste , like right . If you think of your parents or even your grandparents , they would never throw anything out . Like whatever you eat , down to the scraps , the crumbs , the bonds , it was repurposed for something Right . So I think the closer you get back to where people were as immigrants or socioeconomically , it's absolutely we're not wasting anything . Absolutely there's a purpose . I mean , I remember going to a restaurant with my grandma and the salt and pepper she would take home . You know , like whatever they gave she would take home . She was like absolutely not , we're not wasting that . Like I paid for this meal . So whatever they're giving us , I'm bringing home .

Emily Blumenthal

And as a child , you're mortified . You're like we don't need to take that , like it can stay there . It's like no , no , no , no , no , no , no , I will find a use for it somewhere . Like don't worry about that . So you know it's values like that that become ingrained in you one way or another , especially for developing a brand . So how did you end up with this construct of a handbag while you were trained for , theoretically , something else ?

Doris Izquierdo

Well , just like that , like when my sister asked me think about something that you would like to create , I thought first shoes , but then I realized like no , you know , shoes are more complicated because you have sizes and I have somehow an idea about footwear , but not really . So I thought from my experience as an industrial designer , or the knowledge that you get as an industrial designer , handbags were easier and I , like , I have some projects and at school , some of the projects , I will make a , I will make handbags .

Doris Izquierdo

Right right right Like yeah , and then we had a wood workshop and you know we were supposed to create something . We like a very thin and flexible type of wood and I think back I was like , oh , this is perfect version back .

Emily Blumenthal

Oh my God , that's amazing . And knocking out handles and flap and all of that , right , and that's a very , very structured crossbody .

Doris Izquierdo

And now that I'm thinking like I don't even know why , I somehow that is my way of bringing industrial design to fashion . No , in another workshop , I remember that we were doing like PVC , like colorful PVC , yeah , to make a handbag , and I will go out with the handbag and you know , I actually was wearing these bags and I still have them at home , by the way . Yeah , but I have them in Mexico .

Emily Blumenthal

but I still have them . Yeah , so at this point you created this handbag

Challenges and Progress in Product Development

Emily Blumenthal

. How did you say , okay , I think I'm going to move forward with this ? Like , how did you go from the idea of from having one bag to making more ? How did you find the indigenous people to go speak to and source your materials and so forth ?

Doris Izquierdo

Well , finding the indigenous people was somehow Easy but also difficult , because I mean , you can't know where you can go in the city to find them .

Doris Izquierdo

But then their life is somehow very unstable , right , you cannot really know that .

Doris Izquierdo

Like , okay , you're here today and I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to see you next Tuesday here .

Doris Izquierdo

So what I would do first was just like I was just buying from them whatever they had , and then I was trying to figure out same thing of okay , if I get a bit older , how can I actually make more of these Easy , right , and then I was trying to be , you know , moving around and also the economy of these first people are like very same thing , like unstable , right , you can ask them for like , hey , can you make like 15 pieces , to just say an amount for next Tuesday , and they will be like , oh , yes , and then next Tuesday comes and there would be like , oh , you know , I had to actually sell 25 of them because I needed to get some money for free , right , and you can understand that .

Doris Izquierdo

But it's just like a different type of like system that cannot go . We say , like the regular production process , no , so you have more . Like it goes . It got more to like a unique type of piece or like just one of a kind of like limited edition and that kind of that's so difficult to do pricing and then also to develop a brand .

Emily Blumenthal

I mean , whenever I work with designers and they say they're limited edition , one of a kind of like oh , don't say that , you're too new to say that , because it's always a sign , like , you know , to someone who doesn't know any better , it's okay , but to people like us it's like oh , you haven't figured out production , you're only charged it . You're paying too much for materials , you're probably charging the customer too much , right , and that's always a hurdle . I think it's a rate of passage actually for most designers to go through .

Doris Izquierdo

Yes , so that was very challenging , for sure , and then also trying to find the place where , like a factory , where I could get really good quality , it was also very challenging .

Emily Blumenthal

Right out . I mean , I'm sure it doesn't take a lot for you to reflect of , like , did you carry your materials around in a bag or in a suitcase ? Like , were you pulling them ? Like , getting out the gravel road , knocking on the door , like , hi , here's my sample . This is what I can do . Can you do this ? Oh , I need to talk to your boss . Sure , like you know , over and over and over and like , yeah , sure , and then you get a sample , and then or you don't get your sample or they forget , right , they're not open , forget , yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah , you go . They're like , oh , we didn't know , or oh , we had too many . You know , when you're new and don't have any real orders , right , they're going to be like , oh , we didn't do it yet , and you're like I need this today , right , oh they , they would give me things with tons of glue , yeah .

Doris Izquierdo

And so the way that I started , I started going to the lookout . She is like an hour from Mexico City , so I will drive there because there is no white for shoes , no . So I had this friend who used to make her shoes there , so she introduced me to this guy . So that's how I started like asking people do you know anyone who actually makes the bags ? So I made with this guy and he's the one who started making bags with me . But like you saying like I would show up , and he would be like , oh , I forgot , like everything was like a tons of glue or like because the structure was pretty bad . But at the time I thought , oh yeah , it looks good , it's good enough I have , because I also saw learning as well of like you don't use this type of firm , or you don't use like the lining , yeah . And then I went from there to my causing , introduced me to this older person in León , guanajuato , which is an old state for ours , north from Mexico City . That is now for shoes .

Doris Izquierdo

So , and when you drive , did you start driving back and forth ? No , I have family , they live there , so I would go and stay with them for like a week and I would like go every day to look for like a tannery or factories and you know , like like the little garment district that they have for like hardware and great , so yeah , so I started doing some samples there and one of them was like pretty good . Then the other one , the one who actually might cause an , introduce me to . I mean I'm 37 now and people say that look very young , and that time I was like 24 . And I was like , oh my God , I really think that that didn't help , right ?

Emily Blumenthal

Yeah , cause , then no one takes you seriously . Like , who's this child showing up and being like hi ?

Doris Izquierdo

and a woman in there . You know , it's just like maybe 16 and like you know anything , so I will like same thing . I started like doing some samples At this time . My mom was the one who was supporting all my sampling , right , oh God . So I will like as well . It tried to be very conscious about it , cause , for example , I would go to the tannery and have a see like tons of really cool leather , right , and then I would be like wondering okay , so what happens with these leather ? And that would be like , yeah , these leather comes from Italy , like from all over the world , right , and they are really cool letters . I always kept thinking where is this going , right ? Yeah , I mean , this is kind of the end of the road , for each piece here now Cause he's made in Italy for sure was sent to some brand , possibly here , like , of course , in Mexico , or like maybe somewhere else . And then somehow I end up in this little shop .

Emily Blumenthal

Right , so you were already thinking like product lifecycle . In terms of what , then , with this product impact it has ?

Doris Izquierdo

Right . So then I would think like , oh , maybe I can look some bags with these really cool leather , but maybe I can just make five of them and then , going back to the same thing with the indigenous people on , get one . Then what I'm going to say this is limited edition . Right , right , right . Actually not sustainable for business plan , so , but I was just very worried about the whole way . Yeah , right , so , anyway .

Doris Izquierdo

So then , yeah , so I started like making fat samples there , and the first samples actually didn't come out very well Cause I was also using like laser card . I knew how I wanted , but I didn't know how was the process to get it exactly how I wanted . Yeah , so I would like sit down with these people and go style by style with them and be like God , these are going to be the corrections , right ? I remember I would stay with these guys for like two hours , yeah , and I would go back to Mexico and I would come back . I remember I asked this time for 10 pieces of each style , which was not a lot , but you know , still like 10 pieces . I go back and everything knew wasn't well done , like if I never get it right , right , right , right , right , like , kind of like the same as the first sample , so everything completely bad and that is after . Right , there's a way of style realized like these people are not really taking me serious .

Emily Blumenthal

Well , it wasn't . Then they weren't taking you seriously , or they just weren't trained to do it the right way , because it kind of sometimes is a combination of both . Yeah , it was a combination of both .

Doris Izquierdo

Because , yeah , definitely . Because I also would ask them hey , I want to use the best leather and the best hardware . Right , it's about showing made in Mexico is really well made . Like , yeah , the shoes are known for that , but like , let's do handbags as well , right , right , right , you know the same thing . And when they will give me the bags and they will like tell me , like yeah , this is the best leather , this is the best hardware , I would be like there's no way this could be the best . Yeah , yeah , yeah , it was like you know hardware that you like the cheapest hardware Right , right , right .

Emily Blumenthal

It's not hard to figure that out .

Doris Izquierdo

You're like right , yes exactly so then I stopped working with them and I also started like learning how to make myself respected . I was like , ok , well , I pay them and then they just gonna like , I'm just gonna let them , kind of like , do whatever . Right , I know I need to learn as well to tell them , ok , this is what you're giving me , but you know we went through corrections . Are you not really like , right , you're saying with it , yeah , I'm not going to pay you the whole amount , like I need to be responsibly to do what are you doing for what you're doing ? Right ? So you know this game as well of like learning not just making the bags , not just designing , not just finishing , not just working as a hardware , but also dealing with the factory . About this conversation of is your well , or I'm not going to pay you because you need to ? Yeah , as well , and I'm trusting you .

Emily Blumenthal

I had one manufacturer I was working with in the city and I would go there on my lunch breaks and I found a trade show to go to in London and I had to be at the airport at eight o'clock and I went by every single day saying where the samples , where the samples , I need the samples . He hadn't even started and I had the ticket . I like the whole thing that morning . I think it was like a Thursday I was supposed to go to work and I went there when he opened and he had still hadn't even started and he's like well , you know , I called in sick , I pulled up a chair , I sat by his door and I said you have to do this right now . You have my money , you have my samples , you have my ladders , you have everything . These need to be done today .

Emily Blumenthal

And I think I was there from eight o'clock in the morning till eight o'clock at night , sitting in that same damn chair . My mom picked me up , like I had her go to my apartment to collect my stuff and I had no one to . I was just stop . You know my mind . I was stopping by to pick it up and I'm like I can't leave because if I leave , he's not going to do it , right .

Doris Izquierdo

Right , right , right , yes , yes , oh , my God , and then what happened ?

Emily Blumenthal

I mean , I eventually got them , but you know , it was one of those things that my mom picked me up and I remember getting in the car with the samples and she said how are they ? And I said I don't even know at this point , I just needed to have something . Like you know , you commit to this whole narrative and that you're a designer or a handbag designer . You're a handbag brand , but really you're just new , right , and without sales against the samples , these manufacturers will never take you seriously . So whatever you do , you're just kind of like a bug to them , like a pain Right , like they've got brands who are paying them real money because there's orders against it . And then there's you .

Emily Blumenthal

It was like I don't know , do you have a handbag ? And they're like get the hell out of here , right ? So you know , I mean , in hindsight I can see it and I get it . But the flip side is that , god , I wish they would have said we are not set up for this . I will need to charge you that much more or this is going to take me like two more months . I'm putting you at the bottom of my list . These are the windows , as opposed to just take my money and like we'll get to it , because I was going there every single day and you're like , come on , I was the same thing , I was 26 . So , yeah , same story . So how did you eventually get to getting the right bag and coming up with this brand name and saying , okay , I'm a designer ? Like when did you have that happen ?

Doris Izquierdo

Oh , sorry , I actually think it happened after , like in 2015 . So , after doing all these trials , right , a more like that Experiment ? Yeah well , there were no really like that , but you know . So I went to Italy and I was working in the production of Hanbex and Foodway , so that helped me a lot to learn , wow .

Emily Blumenthal

So you were able to get a job within the industry while creating your own brand . That was very clever , right .

The Journey of Becoming a Designer

Doris Izquierdo

So like I see friends that have only the brands and I totally respect that , but at the same time , I feel like it helps so much to work in the industry and in the industry in like places like , for example , here in New York , if you have the chance , of course or like Italy , or like you know where you can learn from the experts , things that help you a ton .

Emily Blumenthal

Oh my God , that's priceless experience . You can't learn that Right For a video or a book .

Doris Izquierdo

There's very few people are going to be lucky enough as , like I don't know , like more Jacobs , for example , or like designers that didn't really have to work for someone else and then just learn it in their own come Right , right , right , right . I mean , if you're lucky , if you're a few of those lucky people , that's great . But at the end also because I mean , I have also worked in these small brands and you can get to see that they have no idea about these . Yeah , no , which is fine , no , but anyway . But I think , like , when someone doesn't have as much as support for a star in a big brand , it helps a ton to be in working for all the people . So , like , for example , the salmon , I went to Italy . It helped me to understand very well the process of okay , let's say , for example , I don't know like Bali was sending the sketch , or like Calvin Klein was sending illustrator sketches and then our fry was sending hand sketches , like very well , the tailored and stuff . So you can like get to see how people are different type of sketches and what happens after the factory gets the sketches and every little thing that happens . Right , having that great made in Italy handbag . No , right , right , right , right , right , right .

Doris Izquierdo

So then after that I went back to Mexico and I was like , okay , well , you know , I actually thought I'm just going to get a job . I look for a job at both magazine and that's what I'm thinking . No , I'm not going to work later as a designer . And then actually the both magazine had a contest that's called who's the next , and they were having for the first year the Accessories category . So a friend of mine actually told me I didn't know about this , and a friend told me and I applied and I forgot about it . And then , literally I was in South Africa and I got this notification from an Instagram saying , oh yeah , semi-finalist . I was like , oh shit , oh , I forgot about this , and so I was selected and then we had to make a bag , actually had to make the bag .

Doris Izquierdo

Yeah , like make a bag for shooting that they were going to put together for all the designs that were selected , and I was in South Africa . Oh my God , oh my God , I had to like figure out how to make these happen . So that time is when I actually came out with the bag that turned it to be what I have right now , like for many different aspects . No , that time I was using I was still working with artisans for more only with palm leaves I found these people from Tallier Maya . That time Tallier Maya was just starting . Like Tallier Maya , they help as well Indigenous people from like the Yankatilla . So I was like , okay , so I'm just gonna have the palm leaves .

Doris Izquierdo

But then , like , through this whole bog contest journey , I realized like , oh , because you know , actually this is not very functional , durable and you know . So I changed my way of writing leather . Then I started looking for same like natural type of leather and stuff . So , yeah , that's where I came out with , somehow , what I have now Right , because we also have to , you know , have both coming to our showroom and and it was like happening . And now it's like like again I was on the other side of the world , oh my God , and I had to like come back here . And it was crazy Because at that time I found another woman who was lovely . She actually understood the whole process , the sampling and making because her brother went to Italy as well right by the Mexican government , so they knew they were inside . Yeah , so that's literally like so that was your moment .

Emily Blumenthal

That was the moment . Yeah , yeah , yeah . So you came up with the name Doispe which is , oh , so Doispe is my name .

Doris Izquierdo

So my name Dois deo isquielo , ic and PE , which is , you know , like in Latin America we have two last names . But it was actually my aunt , my mom's sister , the one who put that name in my hand , right when I was like 12 years old or , oh my God , yeah , like she was living with us because she was pregnant and we would take care of her , and I remember she would be in one of the rooms , you know , pregnant , not feeling very well , and I was like playing with fabrics and stuff , and she told me like , oh , you know , maybe when you grab you can be a designer , and I had no idea what was a designer and then you can call your brand Doispe . But we then age between the C and the P , right , and I was like , oh yeah . Then I went to England but like in a school project , we needed to design a magazine , right , we called that magazine Doispe .

Emily Blumenthal

Oh my God . And there it is . Oh my God . So that's amazing

Balancing Design and Sustainability

Emily Blumenthal

. So at this point , you've had the brand since 2016, . 2015, . Right , 2015 , yeah , yeah , so like fast forward to where you are now . I saw like you're still doing the bag . You're still having them made in Mexico . I know eco-friendly is still core to who you are . I saw your super cool collaboration with the Mexican wine . How are you able , like you are a designer and established brand , how are you able to juggle both and how are you able to continue to pursue pushing this brand forward ?

Doris Izquierdo

Well , it's a really big challenge , see . You know , it takes a lot of time . Yes , I have like an endless list of things I have to do for Doispe , for , like , marketing , website buyers , pr , design , production , you know all these things that I have to . Well , I'm doing it all by myself , right ? And so I think the way that it works is just to be very organized , and I'm a viewer girl so I'm very perfectionist .

Emily Blumenthal

I see your birthday's coming . Yeah , right , yeah , yeah , yeah , isn't it ? Yeah , yeah , yeah , I don't know anything about horoscopes , but now my daughter is in September and horoscopes , you know , astrology is very hot for Gen Z . And so she's like , well , I'm a virgo and I'm like what , you're 15 . What does that mean ? But , ok , sure , I'll buy whatever you're selling . So I know , well , like very organized , yeah , because I'm very organized and perfectionist in a very messy way .

Emily Blumenthal

Yeah , well , I am actually , yeah , like very organized oh , I call hers organized chaos , so it's like everything is in a certain place in this pile , is that ? Yeah , oh my god . So is it your goal to one day do a doyspay full time ?

Doris Izquierdo

Yeah , yeah that's definitely my goal Because , yeah , like , I always haven't thought about the whole industry of , ok , you have a great product and you have , like you know , last trend and all these things , but then what else ? No , yeah , so if you've got to put and create something , and yeah , and put it out there , it should be more meaningful . No , for me it's not just making new bags and more bags and new colors , but it's like , okay , I'm giving you a bag that is timeless , yeah , that you can wear at any season . It's not necessarily a spring or that not . Yeah , just wear it whenever you want to wear it , because it's also that goes with , like , sustainability .

Doris Izquierdo

Now , we really need more conscious about this and not just keep thinking , oh , this is very summery , yes , no , no , like we need to be centered what's happening in the world ? No , so you have something timeless , really good quality , that as well represents Mexico , and genderless as well . Right , I think that we're also in the point of humanity that that should be completely a part of our existence of genderless , yeah , yeah , like I said , that shows made in Mexico , that is local , because I keep everything local in the same area in Mexico . Good , and , yeah , like promotes that and , as well , made with conscious materials , because I only use cactus leather and responsible vegan leather . So you have in that and it's not just you know making and making , and making for just making .

Emily Blumenthal

Are you working with the famous Mexican cactus leather company ? Yeah , yeah , the Cerve to . Yeah , yes , yes , yes , yes , the prickly pear them .

Doris Izquierdo

Yeah , they're actually the only cactus leather .

Emily Blumenthal

I know , I know . So at this point , are all of your sales direct to customer ?

Doris Izquierdo

Well , I'm selling here in Manhattan at two stores at the campus , and in Miami , same thing with the campus . I don't know my online shop and sometimes I'm also at different pop-ups with past lifestyle , which is as well . Online shop for sustainable brands , right . And I'm also selling in Europe through Salando and yeah .

Emily Blumenthal

So that's like Amazing . Okay , well , doris , thank you so , so , so much for sharing your journey , your story . I mean , considering I've known you for so long , coming through the handbag awards , you've such a specific and special vision having things made locally , still being true to who you are as a brand , and that speaks to a lot as having that vision and standing by it and understanding who your customer is . So I thought it was important to highlight you and what you've created , purely because more people should know about it and more people should be able to get their hands on the incredible bags that you make . So , Doris , why don't you share with us where people can find you and follow you ?

Doris Izquierdo

Oh , yeah , well , I'm on Instagram as Deustre D-O-I-Z-P-E . Okay yeah , and some there on Instagram , facebook , saying I'm actually starting TikTok . Well , my TikTok is the same , but TikTok is only in Spanish . For Latin American and Mexican designers like me who didn't study in New York or in the States and wanted to be a designer and come to the US , and they want to know how that can be , the how and the why . Uh-huh , yeah , I'm just kind of like giving advice there that I wish I had .

Emily Blumenthal

Yeah that's amazing . Wow , wow , wow , thank you , thank you . Thank you , doris . Thank you for sharing your story , your journey with Handbag Designer 101 , and we will be continuing to watch your growth and success . Thank you so much . No , thank you Emily . Thanks for listening . Don't forget to rate and review , and follow us on every single platform at Handbag Designer . Thanks so much . We'll see you next time .