Page 37 - Montecito Journal Glossy Edition Winter Spring 2012/13

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To her, that spirit is about “freedom and roaming free
to be wild and reckless without hesitation. What girl
doesn’t want to have a bit of that? Everyone needs a little
Western and cowgirl spirit in their life.”
Emily has organized her line of leather bags into
collections rather than seasons and says her line is “pretty
women specific.” If she has the wherewithal in the next
year, she would like to expand into making men’s wallets
and may design an urban collection, something more
monochromatic that will reflect what she would want to
carry if she was heading to New York, London, or Paris.
As for her inspiration and creative process, Emily
says, “I make my bags based on my lifestyle, what I
need, and what I want. When I started travelling
more, I wanted a really cool carry-on bag so I made
the Cheyenne Weekender – which is an extra sturdy
getaway bag. Each one serves a different purpose in
my lifestyle.” Sipping chardonnay while sitting on
the outdoor patio at Pierre Lafond Wine Bistro on a
temperate evening in Montecito, Emily gestures to the
handbag she’s brought with her. It’s the Molori Bag
in cowhide from her Safari Collection. “I made this
bag to take on my trip with me to England and Africa
and everywhere in between. This was my trip bag. An
oversized slouchy hobo style bag with a flap, studs
and fringe, a really great whip stitched gusset, and ‘D’
rings. I made this for my journey.”
Her current collections include Safari, Cowgirl,
and Clutches. The Safari Collection was inspired by
a recent visit to the Madikwe Game Reserve in South
Africa and incorporates Nguni cattle hide, cow printed
zebra hide, springbok leathers, and even a porcupine
quill for accent. “I named the bags based on the lodges
and places we were in in South Africa. It was the best
experience of my life – it was a game changer. When you
go to Africa you just return different.”
Emily reports she sources her leather from around
the world. “Most of my hides come from South Africa,
Wyoming, and Texas. I’m interested in some hides from
Argentina, but I try to mostly buy domestic because
customs and duty are a nightmare.”
Growing up in Wyoming, Emily says she
understands the hunting, fishing and gaming of life, “It
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