Proving yet again, my life long obsession with all things fashion related. I created Red Buckle Shoes, the company, a few years ago when I was stopped on a street in Los Angeles by a woman who loved my handbag, a red and gold floral silk brocade number with hand beaded velvet details I made for myself. I designed and created one specifically for her based around some vintage textiles from my personal collection. That was followed by several more handbags, which I gave to my friends and family for Christmas and birthday presents. My friends and family in turn became my best salespeople, carrying my one-of-a-kind handbags with them wherever they went. More custom orders came in and a few local stores started carrying them. I soon realized I might be on to something here, and started hitting the flea market, textile show, and thrift store circle religiously, collecting amazing textile pieces anywhere I found them.

After taking a few weeks off this past summer and sewing like crazy, I created a stock of 30 handbags, which I showcased in a local studio tour. The feedback was amazing.

Everyone loved finding a handbag that was uniquely them; a handbag with personality that says something about them without having to open their mouths. Because of the positive feedback, I decided to try the internet as a marketing source so people all over the country have the opportunity to find their own perfect handbag.

Each handbag from Red Buckle Shoes is designed and put together from start to finish by myself. By doing this, I insure that every handbag is made to my standards and not completed until I would wear it myself. Each handbag is a one-of-a-kind creation. While I sometimes make a couple handbags out of the same textile piece, I always put them together in different ways so you can be assured that your handbag is unique. Every purse is designed around a vintage textile from my personal collection; these include pieces such as obis, kimonos, needlepoints, table runners, mittens, and beaded belts. Every purse has an inside pocket the perfect size for a cell phone or keys and my signature logo, a silver buckle with a red velvet ribbon.

If you have a textile of some sort that is special to you, such as a grandmother's lace collar or a mother's beaded belt, I can incorporated it into a handbag, so please feel free to contact me about making a custom creation for you. I am also available to design and create custom handbags for weddings or a special occasion where a particular color or size bag is needed, please contact me for more information.

A summer line of purses based on vintage linens and embroidered pieces will be available in the spring.

Whether looking for a bag for yourself, a new line of purses for your store, or a particularly special gift for someone, I can create exactly what you are looking for at Red Buckle Shoes.

May you be as inspired as I am...