Did you go to school for design or are you a self-taught designer?

My degree is in International Studies from the University of Arizona,  where I focused on economic development.  I’m a jack of all trades type of gal.  I have worked as a fine arts painter for several years and have a natural eye for design. I learned to sew as a kid and have always been good with my hands.

Over the past few years,  I have taught myself how to design handbags and accessories by hijacking my step-mom’s 1960’s sewing machine (permanently on loan to me) and just going at it!  I sketched designs, rented books from the public library, dissected handbags to study how they were constructed, studied other designers by going to stores and sketching their designs, etc.  I’m still learning...it never ends!

I tend to dive into things with a lot of energy, a willingness to learn along the way and accept that the end result might not be exactly what I had in mind from the beginning. Some of the best art and the best designs happen by “accident”.