After having a successful career in the London art scene, Maria Estrada decided to go back to her native Uruguay and launch a fashion business. Her brother, who was working as an investment banker in New York also decided it was time to use his education and talents in his home country. Together they founded IGNES Handbags in 2005 to produce quality accessories using local talent and local leather. I had the chance to chat with Maria via phone on one of her many trips to Uruguay to find out about her passion for bags and her dedication to her home town.

BagTrends: Who designs IGNES Bags?
Maria Estrada: We have a few designers in Uruguay that work with us closely. The end result is a fusion of what I see from my travels and what we have in Uruguay, the leather and the lifestyle.

BT: What can we expect form IGNES?
Maria: It’s a fusion of exotics of South America, fresh air, and then our chic coastal resorts. All that fusion creates a distinct style. At the same time, I lived in London for many years and I always have in mind the very discerning woman that might like a bag for everyday life and wants a very functional item that allows her to leave in the morning and do lots of things throughout the day. That’s why we include a handbag hanger in each bag.

BT: What is the handbag hander?
Maria: All our bags come with a hanger inside that attaches to any surface so you never have to put your bag on the floor. And the hanger corresponds to the type of hardware found on the bag.

BT: You’re based in the UK, but produce in Uruguay. Why is that?
Maria: Uruguay is my home and we also have fabulous talent and great leather here. I come for periods of time so I can hand pick leather and we can have a very personal touch. We like to have relations with the whole team from the designers to the tannery and that transfers to the handbags. We follow-up with buyer. We like to have that personal relationship with customers not just our team. I develop friendship with some customers. We send them e-mails to see how the bag is doing and give them little extras.

BT: You run the business with your brother Ignacio. What’s that like?
Maria: Ignacio was living in New York and I was in Christies at London and we wanted to return to Uruguay so we would work with leather and people of our home town. We did research and then it all happened. The brother-sister-work relation works because we know exactly what each dose and we respect each other’s space.

BT: Recently you won Most Socially Responsible Bags at the Independent Handbag Designers Awards. How does that feel?
Maria: Zelmira, who works with us, was there in New York as the company representative and afterwards she called and said the event was very nice. I assumed we didn’t win and then she said we won. It’s amazing. I applied for the most socially responsible bags category because it was special. We care about the families that work with us and we like that we’re giving people in our home town jobs. We are reinvesting in our own country. It was so nice to tell those that work with us that we won that award.

BT: Which is your favorite bag?
Maria: The one that was presented at the awards show, the Cecilia in golden honey.

BT: Where can a bagista buy your bags in the states?
Maria: At ignesbags.com which will soon have prices in US dollars. We’re also going to be in a few stores in NY, Miami and Washington starting in the fall season.

BT: What can we expect for fall / winter 2007 season from IGNES?
Maria: We are including a few new designs that can be worn in different ways. We’re also creating man bags or women bags with laptops; it works both ways.

BT: What’s next for IGNES?
Maria: We’re going to design passport holders. We’re also handpicking stores that fit with the IGNES woman so we can increase distribution. In the future we could have our own store and this summer at Punta del Este we are looking renting space and having a shop just to see how it goes.

BT: What are your in-the-bag essentials?
Maria: My phone, my Palm Pilot, a notebook, my cool wallet, lip gloss, a magazine or book, and my keys. 

BT: Aside from your own bags, what other brands do you wear or admire?
Maria: I only wear IGNES because every time I run into someone new and they ask what I do, afterwards they ask “oh is that your bag”. I feel offal not wearing my own, so for the last few years it’s only been IGNES.

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