Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jen Lewis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

The fashion industry is all about how to produce the cheapest item possible to make the highest profit – even if that means grueling workplace environments for the men & women who make what we wear. Even if it means low quality construction that falls apart after a few wears.

We’re doing things differently.

We’re proudly part of the slow fashion movement, producing in small batches so we’re making just what we need each season & reducing waste of over production.

Our artisan partners don’t have back breaking quotas they need to reach each day to earn a living wage or worse to keep their job – which unfortunately is common practice in the fashion industry. We work with local managers who ensure each artisan is earning a living wage that can cover monthly expenses that can be earned consistently. We often advocate to pay our artisans more after an initial sample run uncovers a much lengthier production process than initially thought. Or oftentimes artisans will charge us less for techniques they’ve been doing for years & is easy for them. We advocate for their talent & efficiency to be worth more.

Slowing down production also ensures quality manufacturing to lengthen the life of the handbag. Our handbags are made to last – both in terms of style & quality.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Most of my professional career has been working on community development programs that center on fair employment opportunity. I am drawn to the beauty of international cultures & want join along side their fight against the systems that keep people in poverty generation after generation.

From summers spent in Mexico & Bolivia to longer stints in Guatemala & Honduras, I’ve seen the need for consistent employment first hand.

I started Purse & Clutch in 2011 to connect talented artisans with a market here in the States. I was amazed to learn about how jobs were transforming the lives of the women & men we were partnering with & realized since I was based in the States I could help facilitate that connection to help them grow. I have the privilege of working directly with artisan groups all around the world, designing beautiful textiles & styles that are meant to stand the test of time.

The design process is collaborative – I work with the artisans to see where they really shine & then bring my interpretation to the drawing board. Adding in a pocket for a cell phone, playing with the scale of the classic Mexican embossed details or including a wristlet strap to increase functionality so that you can carry a bag that perfectly fits your lifestyle. The final product is a beautiful & unique blend of cultures.

Our model is to pay our artisan partners upfront. We purchase the raw materials before production even begins & then paid a mutually agreed upon fair wage for their time & craftsmanship so they don’t have to take on any risk of production. That way, too, they can count on consistent paychecks to support themselves & their families.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

In July of 2020, early on in the pandemic with a brand new baby I sent out a newsletter that forever changed the way I view my relationship with the community surrounding Purse & Clutch.

Backing up a few months, I had partnered with a large national non-profit to produce our adorable Embossed Leather Wristlets for an upcoming event. There’s a TON of work that goes into handcrafting each wristlet & our partners in Chiapas, Mexico were hard at work for months. I hoped for lots of marketing & brand awareness and it seemed like a great opportunity to share about our slow fashion practices with a larger audience. We ramped up production of our adorable wristlets just for them … and barely got any additional website traffic or sales.

I had been reading Amanda Palmer’s book The Art of Asking & decided to take her words to heart – she said that your customers & your community WANT to help. They want to be involved & they’re just waiting for you to ask. So I did.

Feeling very vulnerable & nervous, I sent out a newsletter asking them to purchase a wristlet & to ask their friends to do the same. I explained why I was in the predicament & they showed up! I spend every one of my newborn’s naps for at least a week shipping out wristlets – to friends, strangers, old customers & new ones. They left sweet, encouraging notes on their order & we were able to recoup our losses in a week.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

About a year ago I started a Facebook Insider’s Group as a place for the community around Purse & Clutch to have a space to convene. Members can ask other members questions about the fit or features of a specific bag, get early access to new designs & sales, get exclusive peeks into the stories of our artisan partners and participate in discussions around slow fashion.

It’s a safe space where I can share the behind the scenes of running a business & our members are truly part of the running of Purse & Clutch. Their feedback on upcoming designs is invaluable.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.purseandclutch.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/purseandclutch
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/purseandclutch
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/purseandclutch

Image Credits
Brandon Hill Jen Lewis Caly Rodriguez