Emily Blumenthal
Host
00:00
Hi and welcome to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast with your host, Emily Blumenthal, handbag designer expert and handbag fairy godmother, where we cover everything about handbags, from making, marketing, designing and talking to handbag designers and industry experts about what it takes to make a successful handbag. Welcome to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast. We have Doris Izquierdo from Doizpe. Am I pronouncing it correctly? Yes, yes, yes, Doizpe, Doizpe. Plus, you have the coolest accent. What is your accent? It's all over the place, isn't it?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
00:41
I think so. Yeah, it's like a mix of different things and, of course, Mexican, and if I get upset, it just comes more.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
00:50
you can hear more of the Mexican, but you have like an Irish inflection or something Like where's your English? It's not American. That's what I mean.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
00:59
Oh yeah. Well, I studied British English and then I lived in Australia. That's it, oh yeah.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
01:07
Oh, my God, that's what I meant, because I love listening to you speak, because it's always like oh boy, this isn't the standard. You know, girl from Mexico living in the US, it's like she's definitely been around.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
01:19
Yeah, yeah, for sure that, that's for sure yeah.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
01:22
Oh my God. So let's go back to the beginning. So you are originally from Mexico. Yeah, you were born, yeah, born and raised there. My family's there, yeah. So how did you fall into this world of handbags? Because we can get into, you know your brand and what it means and the whole eco vision, because you've been doing this for a super long time.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
01:44
Yeah, well, I got into the handbags basically because I wanted to study fashion With the Mexican culture. It was kind of like my pines. You didn't want me to go abroad and live by myself. When I was 18 years old I was like, no, how are you so young, you know? It's like completely different than how it's in the US. And so they didn't let me study fashion. So they convinced me to study industrial design. So I did industrial design, which was great. I don't I don't regret it. I'm actually very grateful I did it that way. So, but when I was doing industrial design in Australia, my sister asked me like do you?
Emily Blumenthal
Host
02:17
wait a second. So your parents wouldn't let you leave to study fashion, but they would let you leave to go all the way to Australia. Just young industrial design so.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
02:27
But that now, because I started in Mexico City and I started in industrial design and then I just wanted to really steal, I really wanted to go abroad and there was just this thing that I always wanted to do, since I was like maybe I don't know 15 years old, Like I would love to stay open to late watching these independent movies. We've done all that. It was called Canal On C, Mexico City and there were like have these independent films and there were like films about fashion and, like you know, fashion TV also was Fashion TV was a vibe, it was everything.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
03:03
Oh my God, I remember that Right yeah, with Elsa Clench from. It was Canadian and said welcome to fashion TV with Elsa Clench and you would just watch the shows and you're like, oh God, to be part of that, because that predated everything. Having access to fashion week influencers, all that. It was like industry and that was it.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
03:24
Right, right. So I loved watching that and I always kept dreaming about that world, of course, like abroad, not knowing Mexico, and just kind of having as well the challenge of being with people from like different cultures and not in my first language and just you know, kind of like that whole adventure and fashion as well, right, anyway, so I started industrial design. I started industrial design and then I always wanted to go somewhere else and then, as soon as I had the opportunity, my parents told me well, you know, my idea was that I was going to go to Italy. And then my dad told me, like, if you want to go to Italy, stay one more semester and then you go and you stay in Italy. No, but then the opportunity to Australia came and I was, like you know, I really want to go now.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
04:12
How did Australia happen? That's so random.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
04:14
No, yeah, Cause that was like kind of like an opportunity that I'd go through my uni, the uni where I started in Mexico. So I was like thinking, okay, well, I don't know, I just really wanted to go away and I loved that idea that it was like so far away. And I also thought, you know what? I've always been somehow of the same way. That's like doing things differently, like how all the people do. Wait, what number child are you?
Emily Blumenthal
Host
04:41
Second um, the baby one? Ah, there's two of you, yeah, yeah. And you have an older sister, yeah, who colors in the lines, does everything the right way, follows the rules, is the reliable one. Is she still there? Yeah, well, she's now in Mexico City, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. So that all tracks, okay. So that makes sense. All right. So they already had a daughter who was doing the right thing, so you were doing the right thing, but, like I need to get the hell out of here, I wanted to explore.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
05:10
You know, I don't know, there was yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So then I think my mom told me, like boy, if you go there, you know you're going to be so far away and something happens. And then, the more than she would describe how far away was Australia, the more that I was like, yes, I need to go. And then also start thinking, you know what everyone in the design world looks out in Europe as you have to go there, like that's the only way or that's the only thing happening Right. I mean, yeah, I started by culture and everything.
05:42
Yes, like in Europe, there's a lot of things that started there, but at the same time, I felt like, yeah, but there's also other countries that for sure have great things happening Right, like you know, like right now, for example, mexico City is super trendy. Yes, but we have like, and you're not there and yeah, but like there's this thing about like, oh, like kind of Mexico City's just not having these great things, but we always have these great things. We don't even know about it. Uh-huh, yeah. So that's the same way that I was feeling at that time. I mean, I was kind of like feeling like Mexico was kind of like left out, even though, like I knew that we had a lot of great things and like, for example, like in these kinds of Australia, I was like, you know, no one even talks about it. Some's going to go and do like even the different thing that everyone goes to Europe. I'm just going to go to Australia, so that's why I went to Australia.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
06:34
Where are you at when? Melbourne, sydney, melbourne, melbourne, ah, you know, it's so interesting because my friends who are from Melbourne always referred to Sydney as Sid Vegas. You know, because it's so much more like LA and Melbourne is so much more of a European vibe. I love, love, love, love Melbourne. It's like you don't even know where you are because it's such a cross section of so much Right, right, right. Yeah, how long were you?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
07:00
there. Well, I guess I say this for a part of my uni so two years, yeah, something like that, and then I kind of have a little bit of like memory during that time because my dad passed away after I like block a lot of like period of my life, yeah. So that's when people are just like, well, what happened?
Emily Blumenthal
Host
07:22
No, my husband, his dad, passed when he was really young and like you ask him about anything and there's a blank space like I don't know. Yeah, I tell you, ask someone else. Yeah, trauma will do that to you. Did you go home right after that? Did that change everything for you?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
07:37
Yeah, yeah, that definitely did. Yeah, for sure. That's why, like I have like blurry things, I mean, that's also why I decided to get back to Mexico and stay in Mexico. And yeah, when I grew up, I always had this thing about Mexico was the first thing, because that's how my parents told me, and the best thing after Mexico was actually Germany.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
08:02
Oh yeah that's amazing.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
08:04
So, like I always had, that's something that for sure I was have been wanted to show in my brand and like how the beauty of Mexico in different ways, right? So when I was in Australia and my sister asked me so what are you perpetuating? Do you want to like start on visas or something? What about if I think about something? And that's what I thought like, oh, at that time in Australia there was nothing about and nothing Mexican, right, and I will always get really good compliments of three things Just for like showing that my Mexican passport at the club or things. Wow.
08:41
So, stan, like you know, of course, valuing more Mexico and everything. So it's like, ok, great, what about a handbag with that Mexican handcrafts that are like made by native Mexicans? You know, like God, tommy, so with Chorles, or you know these different groups and but at time was also kind of like now is also trendy, but at that time it was kind of like seeing, like why you, you seen that Like it's kind of like I don't know it was not like thing to do, right, but I wanted to show that like I wanted to have like, ok, yeah, passion is great, but what else about the world and what else about? You know, creating something that is for trade and means, like you, being respectful for the work from these people, especially with the ethnic groups that people usually try to get things for cheaper.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
09:33
No, this is so interesting because you, without even knowing it, were developing the DNA of your brand right, the core values, the core competencies, what important key points. And I doubt, without you, having left Mexico, you would have been able to identify, and the trauma you even went through, I doubt you would have been able to identify what makes your brand special, because these are values that have now become special to you that you didn't recognize before.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
10:01
Right, Exactly, and I somehow didn't know exactly where they were coming from.
10:06
And through the time I started realizing like, yeah, especially like, for example, now I just became a US citizen, like literally last week, and well, I was like I was talking with someone. I was like, you know, I never, ever had in my bulk at least the US. I never had this idea of coming here, but like from here, which I'm grateful about it and everything that this country has gave me. But at the same time I started thinking like how was for me and why I never really had this idea like comparing, like how usually in Mexico, for example, like people would come here for like right, shopping or things like that, but in my family, like my dad used to say like no, no, we ain't gonna buy and support Mexico and made in Mexico. We need to be proud about big Mexicans. Whenever we will like kind of as well, buy something that it was not from made in Mexico. It was like European right, when is Mexico? Like I never came to Disney Cause I would be like right, right, right.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
11:14
All these things, and did you ever make it to Disney? I haven't yet.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
11:18
Oh my God. So then I started realizing I always have this thing, unconsciously like working for the people and, like my mom was always like I'm like very involved with the community as well and helping everyone, and she also, at some point the same thing, was in a party for like becoming a senator or like a party that represents the people, things like that. My dad, like when he was also like young, she was involved in something it's called like it's this entire show which she's like a movement that happening before the Olympics in Mexico and right, right, that's actually in France, and kind of like went all the way to Mexico. It was the same thing to kind of like for the people, like if you yeah, I'm resuming that way you know right, it's just not going to the pinto history, or Well, no, no, no.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
12:09
This is why this is important, because you know handbags. I'm sure you've heard being a designer on your own and now obviously also working for another brand. You know you hear over and over that it's very niche, right, it's very specific, but the reality is, which is so interesting? Everybody everywhere needs, uses, wants, covids, lives with for a handbag. It's an integral part of who we are as a culture, as a people, going way back to the 1300s. It dates back. So you know, it's part of who we are as women, it's an extension of who we are, and I think it's really authentic in terms of how all this goes into your journey of becoming a handbag designer, because at this point you're back in Mexico and now you're trained as an industrial designer. Then what Right?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
12:59
I feel like that's also the interesting part of generally about fashion. Like people think to think, oh, you know, fashion, it just doesn't really have to do anything with me and I don't like fashion or like fashion doesn't represent me. But at the end, when you think about it, you go deep about someone's look no, and I'm not telling you like an influencer, I'm just like anyone on the street and you ask them about why they got that shirt, why they wear that necklace, why they're wearing that, and then it brings something about their childhood, their family, what they want to be or what they used to be, or you know, at the end, what it is like. Again, like you were saying, like an extension of ourselves. So yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's the coolest part I think about fashion that people sometimes don't really realize no, yeah, so yeah, it was like for me.
13:56
It was like that I didn't notice that, how strong it was. I mean, how my parents put that so much into my head of being super proud of being Mexican and showing made in Mexico and all that stuff. And like through the time I've been realizing I'm like, oh, yeah, now I get it. Yeah, I get that. So true, and then like my brand started like that. I kind of wanted to show what, like indigenous people were making with, like you know, through handbags, and it kind of kept evolving and from that to like being socially responsible, to like also there were not many options for eco-friendly materials at that time, and then, like you know, when there's these other options available, evolve as well. For short to that, because that's an old saying that I feel very proud to say that as well. My parents always taught me of being very responsible with that.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
14:49
When the bar no waste, like right. If you think of your parents or even your grandparents, they would never throw anything out. Like whatever you eat, down to the scraps, the crumbs, the bonds, it was repurposed for something Right. So I think the closer you get back to where people were as immigrants or socioeconomically, it's absolutely we're not wasting anything. Absolutely there's a purpose. I mean, I remember going to a restaurant with my grandma and the salt and pepper she would take home. You know, like whatever they gave she would take home. She was like absolutely not, we're not wasting that. Like I paid for this meal. So whatever they're giving us, I'm bringing home.
15:32
And as a child, you're mortified. You're like we don't need to take that, like it can stay there. It's like no, no, no, no, no, no, no, I will find a use for it somewhere. Like don't worry about that. So you know it's values like that that become ingrained in you one way or another, especially for developing a brand. So how did you end up with this construct of a handbag while you were trained for, theoretically, something else?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
15:56
Well, just like that, like when my sister asked me think about something that you would like to create, I thought first shoes, but then I realized like no, you know, shoes are more complicated because you have sizes and I have somehow an idea about footwear, but not really. So I thought from my experience as an industrial designer, or the knowledge that you get as an industrial designer, handbags were easier and I, like, I have some projects and at school, some of the projects, I will make a, I will make handbags.
16:29
Right right right Like yeah, and then we had a wood workshop and you know we were supposed to create something. We like a very thin and flexible type of wood and I think back I was like, oh, this is perfect version back.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
16:43
Oh my God, that's amazing. And knocking out handles and flap and all of that, right, and that's a very, very structured crossbody.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
16:54
And now that I'm thinking like I don't even know why, I somehow that is my way of bringing industrial design to fashion. No, in another workshop, I remember that we were doing like PVC, like colorful PVC, yeah, to make a handbag, and I will go out with the handbag and you know, I actually was wearing these bags and I still have them at home, by the way. Yeah, but I have them in Mexico.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
17:20
but I still have them. Yeah, so at this point you created this handbag. How did you say, okay, I think I'm going to move forward with this? Like, how did you go from the idea of from having one bag to making more? How did you find the indigenous people to go speak to and source your materials and so forth?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
17:39
Well, finding the indigenous people was somehow Easy but also difficult, because I mean, you can't know where you can go in the city to find them.
17:51
But then their life is somehow very unstable, right, you cannot really know that.
17:58
Like, okay, you're here today and I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to see you next Tuesday here.
18:04
So what I would do first was just like I was just buying from them whatever they had, and then I was trying to figure out same thing of okay, if I get a bit older, how can I actually make more of these Easy, right, and then I was trying to be, you know, moving around and also the economy of these first people are like very same thing, like unstable, right, you can ask them for like, hey, can you make like 15 pieces, to just say an amount for next Tuesday, and they will be like, oh, yes, and then next Tuesday comes and there would be like, oh, you know, I had to actually sell 25 of them because I needed to get some money for free, right, and you can understand that.
18:43
But it's just like a different type of like system that cannot go. We say, like the regular production process, no, so you have more. Like it goes. It got more to like a unique type of piece or like just one of a kind of like limited edition and that kind of that's so difficult to do pricing and then also to develop a brand.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
19:06
I mean, whenever I work with designers and they say they're limited edition, one of a kind of like oh, don't say that, you're too new to say that, because it's always a sign, like, you know, to someone who doesn't know any better, it's okay, but to people like us it's like oh, you haven't figured out production, you're only charged it. You're paying too much for materials, you're probably charging the customer too much, right, and that's always a hurdle. I think it's a rate of passage actually for most designers to go through.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
19:35
Yes, so that was very challenging, for sure, and then also trying to find the place where, like a factory, where I could get really good quality, it was also very challenging.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
19:47
Right out. I mean, I'm sure it doesn't take a lot for you to reflect of, like, did you carry your materials around in a bag or in a suitcase? Like, were you pulling them? Like, getting out the gravel road, knocking on the door, like, hi, here's my sample. This is what I can do. Can you do this? Oh, I need to talk to your boss. Sure, like you know, over and over and over and like, yeah, sure, and then you get a sample, and then or you don't get your sample or they forget, right, they're not open, forget, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you go. They're like, oh, we didn't know, or oh, we had too many. You know, when you're new and don't have any real orders, right, they're going to be like, oh, we didn't do it yet, and you're like I need this today, right, oh they, they would give me things with tons of glue, yeah.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
20:31
And so the way that I started, I started going to the lookout. She is like an hour from Mexico City, so I will drive there because there is no white for shoes, no. So I had this friend who used to make her shoes there, so she introduced me to this guy. So that's how I started like asking people do you know anyone who actually makes the bags? So I made with this guy and he's the one who started making bags with me. But like you saying like I would show up, and he would be like, oh, I forgot, like everything was like a tons of glue or like because the structure was pretty bad. But at the time I thought, oh yeah, it looks good, it's good enough I have, because I also saw learning as well of like you don't use this type of firm, or you don't use like the lining, yeah. And then I went from there to my causing, introduced me to this older person in León, guanajuato, which is an old state for ours, north from Mexico City. That is now for shoes.
21:30
So, and when you drive, did you start driving back and forth? No, I have family, they live there, so I would go and stay with them for like a week and I would like go every day to look for like a tannery or factories and you know, like like the little garment district that they have for like hardware and great, so yeah, so I started doing some samples there and one of them was like pretty good. Then the other one, the one who actually might cause an, introduce me to. I mean I'm 37 now and people say that look very young, and that time I was like 24. And I was like, oh my God, I really think that that didn't help, right?
Emily Blumenthal
Host
22:16
Yeah, cause, then no one takes you seriously. Like, who's this child showing up and being like hi?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
22:22
and a woman in there. You know, it's just like maybe 16 and like you know anything, so I will like same thing. I started like doing some samples At this time. My mom was the one who was supporting all my sampling, right, oh God. So I will like as well. It tried to be very conscious about it, cause, for example, I would go to the tannery and have a see like tons of really cool leather, right, and then I would be like wondering okay, so what happens with these leather? And that would be like, yeah, these leather comes from Italy, like from all over the world, right, and they are really cool letters. I always kept thinking where is this going, right? Yeah, I mean, this is kind of the end of the road, for each piece here now Cause he's made in Italy for sure was sent to some brand, possibly here, like, of course, in Mexico, or like maybe somewhere else. And then somehow I end up in this little shop.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
23:19
Right, so you were already thinking like product lifecycle. In terms of what, then, with this product impact it has?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
23:27
Right. So then I would think like, oh, maybe I can look some bags with these really cool leather, but maybe I can just make five of them and then, going back to the same thing with the indigenous people on, get one. Then what I'm going to say this is limited edition. Right, right, right. Actually not sustainable for business plan, so, but I was just very worried about the whole way. Yeah, right, so, anyway.
23:53
So then, yeah, so I started like making fat samples there, and the first samples actually didn't come out very well Cause I was also using like laser card. I knew how I wanted, but I didn't know how was the process to get it exactly how I wanted. Yeah, so I would like sit down with these people and go style by style with them and be like God, these are going to be the corrections, right? I remember I would stay with these guys for like two hours, yeah, and I would go back to Mexico and I would come back. I remember I asked this time for 10 pieces of each style, which was not a lot, but you know, still like 10 pieces. I go back and everything knew wasn't well done, like if I never get it right, right, right, right, right, like, kind of like the same as the first sample, so everything completely bad and that is after. Right, there's a way of style realized like these people are not really taking me serious.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
24:52
Well, it wasn't. Then they weren't taking you seriously, or they just weren't trained to do it the right way, because it kind of sometimes is a combination of both. Yeah, it was a combination of both.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
25:01
Because, yeah, definitely. Because I also would ask them hey, I want to use the best leather and the best hardware. Right, it's about showing made in Mexico is really well made. Like, yeah, the shoes are known for that, but like, let's do handbags as well, right, right, right, you know the same thing. And when they will give me the bags and they will like tell me, like yeah, this is the best leather, this is the best hardware, I would be like there's no way this could be the best. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was like you know hardware that you like the cheapest hardware Right, right, right.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
25:34
It's not hard to figure that out.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
25:35
You're like right, yes exactly so then I stopped working with them and I also started like learning how to make myself respected. I was like, ok, well, I pay them and then they just gonna like, I'm just gonna let them, kind of like, do whatever. Right, I know I need to learn as well to tell them, ok, this is what you're giving me, but you know we went through corrections. Are you not really like, right, you're saying with it, yeah, I'm not going to pay you the whole amount, like I need to be responsibly to do what are you doing for what you're doing? Right? So you know this game as well of like learning not just making the bags, not just designing, not just finishing, not just working as a hardware, but also dealing with the factory. About this conversation of is your well, or I'm not going to pay you because you need to? Yeah, as well, and I'm trusting you.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
26:30
I had one manufacturer I was working with in the city and I would go there on my lunch breaks and I found a trade show to go to in London and I had to be at the airport at eight o'clock and I went by every single day saying where the samples, where the samples, I need the samples. He hadn't even started and I had the ticket. I like the whole thing that morning. I think it was like a Thursday I was supposed to go to work and I went there when he opened and he had still hadn't even started and he's like well, you know, I called in sick, I pulled up a chair, I sat by his door and I said you have to do this right now. You have my money, you have my samples, you have my ladders, you have everything. These need to be done today.
27:14
And I think I was there from eight o'clock in the morning till eight o'clock at night, sitting in that same damn chair. My mom picked me up, like I had her go to my apartment to collect my stuff and I had no one to. I was just stop. You know my mind. I was stopping by to pick it up and I'm like I can't leave because if I leave, he's not going to do it, right.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
27:30
Right, right, right, yes, yes, oh, my God, and then what happened?
Emily Blumenthal
Host
27:35
I mean, I eventually got them, but you know, it was one of those things that my mom picked me up and I remember getting in the car with the samples and she said how are they? And I said I don't even know at this point, I just needed to have something. Like you know, you commit to this whole narrative and that you're a designer or a handbag designer. You're a handbag brand, but really you're just new, right, and without sales against the samples, these manufacturers will never take you seriously. So whatever you do, you're just kind of like a bug to them, like a pain Right, like they've got brands who are paying them real money because there's orders against it. And then there's you.
28:13
It was like I don't know, do you have a handbag? And they're like get the hell out of here, right? So you know, I mean, in hindsight I can see it and I get it. But the flip side is that, god, I wish they would have said we are not set up for this. I will need to charge you that much more or this is going to take me like two more months. I'm putting you at the bottom of my list. These are the windows, as opposed to just take my money and like we'll get to it, because I was going there every single day and you're like, come on, I was the same thing, I was 26. So, yeah, same story. So how did you eventually get to getting the right bag and coming up with this brand name and saying, okay, I'm a designer? Like when did you have that happen?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
28:55
Oh, sorry, I actually think it happened after, like in 2015. So, after doing all these trials, right, a more like that Experiment? Yeah well, there were no really like that, but you know. So I went to Italy and I was working in the production of Hanbex and Foodway, so that helped me a lot to learn, wow.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
29:19
So you were able to get a job within the industry while creating your own brand. That was very clever, right.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
29:26
So like I see friends that have only the brands and I totally respect that, but at the same time, I feel like it helps so much to work in the industry and in the industry in like places like, for example, here in New York, if you have the chance, of course or like Italy, or like you know where you can learn from the experts, things that help you a ton.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
29:50
Oh my God, that's priceless experience. You can't learn that Right For a video or a book.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
29:56
There's very few people are going to be lucky enough as, like I don't know, like more Jacobs, for example, or like designers that didn't really have to work for someone else and then just learn it in their own come Right, right, right, right. I mean, if you're lucky, if you're a few of those lucky people, that's great. But at the end also because I mean, I have also worked in these small brands and you can get to see that they have no idea about these. Yeah, no, which is fine, no, but anyway. But I think, like, when someone doesn't have as much as support for a star in a big brand, it helps a ton to be in working for all the people. So, like, for example, the salmon, I went to Italy. It helped me to understand very well the process of okay, let's say, for example, I don't know like Bali was sending the sketch, or like Calvin Klein was sending illustrator sketches and then our fry was sending hand sketches, like very well, the tailored and stuff. So you can like get to see how people are different type of sketches and what happens after the factory gets the sketches and every little thing that happens. Right, having that great made in Italy handbag. No, right, right, right, right, right, right.
31:14
So then after that I went back to Mexico and I was like, okay, well, you know, I actually thought I'm just going to get a job. I look for a job at both magazine and that's what I'm thinking. No, I'm not going to work later as a designer. And then actually the both magazine had a contest that's called who's the next, and they were having for the first year the Accessories category. So a friend of mine actually told me I didn't know about this, and a friend told me and I applied and I forgot about it. And then, literally I was in South Africa and I got this notification from an Instagram saying, oh yeah, semi-finalist. I was like, oh shit, oh, I forgot about this, and so I was selected and then we had to make a bag, actually had to make the bag.
32:05
Yeah, like make a bag for shooting that they were going to put together for all the designs that were selected, and I was in South Africa. Oh my God, oh my God, I had to like figure out how to make these happen. So that time is when I actually came out with the bag that turned it to be what I have right now, like for many different aspects. No, that time I was using I was still working with artisans for more only with palm leaves I found these people from Tallier Maya. That time Tallier Maya was just starting. Like Tallier Maya, they help as well Indigenous people from like the Yankatilla. So I was like, okay, so I'm just gonna have the palm leaves.
32:46
But then, like, through this whole bog contest journey, I realized like, oh, because you know, actually this is not very functional, durable and you know. So I changed my way of writing leather. Then I started looking for same like natural type of leather and stuff. So, yeah, that's where I came out with, somehow, what I have now Right, because we also have to, you know, have both coming to our showroom and and it was like happening. And now it's like like again I was on the other side of the world, oh my God, and I had to like come back here. And it was crazy Because at that time I found another woman who was lovely. She actually understood the whole process, the sampling and making because her brother went to Italy as well right by the Mexican government, so they knew they were inside. Yeah, so that's literally like so that was your moment.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
33:44
That was the moment. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you came up with the name Doizpe which is, oh, so Doizpe is my name.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
33:53
So my name Doris Izquierdo, Iz and PE, which is, you know, like in Latin America we have two last names. But it was actually my aunt, my mom's sister, the one who put that name in my hand, right when I was like 12 years old or, oh my God, yeah, like she was living with us because she was pregnant and we would take care of her, and I remember she would be in one of the rooms, you know, pregnant, not feeling very well, and I was like playing with fabrics and stuff, and she told me like, oh, you know, maybe when you grab you can be a designer, and I had no idea what was a designer and then you can call your brand Doizpe. But we then age between the Z and the P, right, and I was like, oh yeah. Then I went to England but like in a school project, we needed to design a magazine, right, we called that magazine Doizpe.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
34:48
Oh my God. And there it is. Oh my God. So that's amazing. So at this point, you've had the brand since 2016,. 2015,. Right, 2015, yeah, yeah, so like fast forward to where you are now. I saw like you're still doing the bag. You're still having them made in Mexico. I know eco-friendly is still core to who you are. I saw your super cool collaboration with the Mexican wine. How are you able, like you are a designer and established brand, how are you able to juggle both and how are you able to continue to pursue pushing this brand forward?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
35:26
Well, it's a really big challenge, see. You know, it takes a lot of time. Yes, I have like an endless list of things I have to do for Doizpe, for, like, marketing, website buyers, pr, design, production, you know all these things that I have to. Well, I'm doing it all by myself, right? And so I think the way that it works is just to be very organized, and I'm a viewer girl so I'm very perfectionist.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
35:58
I see your birthday's coming. Yeah, right, yeah, yeah, yeah, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't know anything about horoscopes, but now my daughter is in September and horoscopes, you know, astrology is very hot for Gen Z. And so she's like, well, I'm a virgo and I'm like what, you're 15. What does that mean? But, ok, sure, I'll buy whatever you're selling. So I know, well, like very organized, yeah, because I'm very organized and perfectionist in a very messy way.
36:29
Yeah, well, I am actually, yeah, like very organized oh, I call hers organized chaos, so it's like everything is in a certain place in this pile, is that? Yeah, oh my god. So is it your goal to one day do a doyspay full time?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
36:46
Yeah, yeah that's definitely my goal Because, yeah, like, I always haven't thought about the whole industry of, ok, you have a great product and you have, like you know, last trend and all these things, but then what else? No, yeah, so if you've got to put and create something, and yeah, and put it out there, it should be more meaningful. No, for me it's not just making new bags and more bags and new colors, but it's like, okay, I'm giving you a bag that is timeless, yeah, that you can wear at any season. It's not necessarily a spring or that not. Yeah, just wear it whenever you want to wear it, because it's also that goes with, like, sustainability.
37:29
Now, we really need more conscious about this and not just keep thinking, oh, this is very summery, yes, no, no, like we need to be centered what's happening in the world? No, so you have something timeless, really good quality, that as well represents Mexico, and genderless as well. Right, I think that we're also in the point of humanity that that should be completely a part of our existence of genderless, yeah, yeah, like I said, that shows made in Mexico, that is local, because I keep everything local in the same area in Mexico. Good, and, yeah, like promotes that and, as well, made with conscious materials, because I only use cactus leather and responsible vegan leather. So you have in that and it's not just you know making and making, and making for just making.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
38:25
Are you working with the famous Mexican cactus leather company? Yeah, yeah, the Cerve to. Yeah, yes, yes, yes, yes, the prickly pear them.
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
38:35
Yeah, they're actually the only cactus leather.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
38:39
I know, I know. So at this point, are all of your sales direct to customer?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
38:44
Well, I'm selling here in Manhattan at two stores at the campus, and in Miami, same thing with the campus. I don't know my online shop and sometimes I'm also at different pop-ups with past lifestyle, which is as well. Online shop for sustainable brands, right. And I'm also selling in Europe through Salando and yeah.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
39:06
So that's like Amazing. Okay, well, doris, thank you so, so, so much for sharing your journey, your story. I mean, considering I've known you for so long, coming through the handbag awards, you've such a specific and special vision having things made locally, still being true to who you are as a brand, and that speaks to a lot as having that vision and standing by it and understanding who your customer is. So I thought it was important to highlight you and what you've created, purely because more people should know about it and more people should be able to get their hands on the incredible bags that you make. So, Doris, why don't you share with us where people can find you and follow you?
Doris Izquierdo
Guest
39:48
Oh, yeah, well, I'm on Instagram as Deustre D-O-I-Z-P-E. Okay yeah, and some there on Instagram, facebook, saying I'm actually starting TikTok. Well, my TikTok is the same, but TikTok is only in Spanish. For Latin American and Mexican designers like me who didn't study in New York or in the States and wanted to be a designer and come to the US, and they want to know how that can be, the how and the why. Uh-huh, yeah, I'm just kind of like giving advice there that I wish I had.
Emily Blumenthal
Host
40:25
Yeah that's amazing. Wow, wow, wow, thank you, thank you. Thank you, doris. Thank you for sharing your story, your journey with Handbag Designer 101, and we will be continuing to watch your growth and success. Thank you so much. No, thank you Emily. Thanks for listening. Don't forget to rate and review, and follow us on every single platform at Handbag Designer. Thanks so much. We'll see you next time.
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