Local designer makes name for herself

By Ashley Yeldell

Louis Vuitton. Coach. Fendi. Claire Sanchez. While some of these designer names are more popular than others, all can be seen on the arms of trendy LSU students. Granted, Claire Sanchez won't be opening up shop on Fifth Avenue any time soon, but this 24-year-old Baton Rouge native is certainly making a name for herself in the handbag world.

After graduating from Episcopal in 1998, Sanchez moved to Savannah, Ga. to attend Savannah College of Art and Design. She wasn't quite sure what degree she wanted to pursue, but she began dabbling in paint. Just like many other students, Sanchez wasn't too sure what she wanted to do until later in her college career.

"I began painting but then I used more materials and experienced with surface," Sanchez said. "After changing majors several times, I enrolled in a fiber introduction class and fell in love. I then began making handbags and selling them around town."

Nearing graduation in 2003, Sanchez interviewed for several jobs but had trouble placing herself in someone else's company. The week of graduation, Sanchez still had no idea what she was going to do to make money. However, a stroke of luck came in the form of an unexpected phone call. The editor of Country Living magazine happened to be vacationing in Savannah and purchased one of Sanchez's unique handbags at a local boutique. The editor wanted to feature Sanchez's one of a kind creations in an upcoming issue of the magazine.

"It was kind of crazy because I had six months to prepare for the issue to come out," Sanchez said. "They told me I needed to be prepared because readers would want to order handbags as soon as the issue came out. So I had six months to pretty much learn how to run a small business. I did research, wrote letters, ordered office equipment, set up a website, etc."

As predicted, as soon as the issue hit newsstands, her phone was ringing off the hook. Sanchez has gained even more national exposure when her line of purses was chosen to be included in the gift bags for the 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Sanchez has several different lines of handbags, all of which are simple contemporary shapes combined with rich vibrant surfaces. The bags of The Precious Metals Collection comprises of silk purses, embellished by hand using copper leaf and heat transfer technique. The technique, perfected during her senior year of college, is a signature of Claire Sanchez. The Limited Edition Collection is a unique line of handbags and totes made from vintage fabrics.

"The vintage purses are a lot of fun because they are so unexpected," Sanchez said. "Sometimes I will get fabric that used to be curtains or a chair covering. A purse is a perfect canvas to display sections of fabric and really make them pop."

Sanchez is currently working out of her home and using her garage as a studio.
"I definitely want to move out of the garage and want to move on, but I don't know where," Sanchez said. "I also have dreams of actually designing patterns of fabric."

For the moment, Sanchez is content making her handbags while making others see a different and unique style of art.
"These purses are definitely works of art," Sanchez said. "Art is not what you see but what you make others see." For more information, visit www.clairesanchez.com.

This article was originally posted on February 23, 2005