We'd like to introduce our newest line at the shop from locally designed accessories brand ILANO! Super cute artisan crafted pieces made of leather and handwoven textiles, ILANO features laptop & tablet cases, adorable handbags & crossbody bags, and intricately designed pillows.
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Made of organic wool and natural dyes, Ilano partners with indigenous female weavers from around the globe, providing living wages and a platform to bring modern, handwoven textile handbags & accessories to an international fashion audience.
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ILANO is a reflection of the designer Roseli Ilano's travels and collaborations from the valleys of Oaxaca to the lush terraces of the Philippine Cordillera. She holds fort right here in Oakland, California, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome her goods to the shop!
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ILANO has become our new favorite handbag and accessories line because with ILANO we know exactly how and where the bags came from...
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Meet one of ILANO's Artisans MARCELA:
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Marcela’s work has been featured at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. She runs a workshop with her husband Manuel, who created the “Pajarito” design especially for ILANO. In an excerpt from the ILANO website, Marcela discusses the importance of preserving hand-crafted goods--
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“I started to weave when I was around 13 years old. It was my parents who taught me. I actually started to weave first, and then later, learned with my mom how to dye and cart the wool. Years back, that was the work of the women but now, the roles are not as defined. In 2010, my family and I went to present our work at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. It was a demonstration where we actually brought our machinery. We did a demonstration of how to dye the wool, how to spin it and how to weave as well. I hope people buying ILANO products know that they are buying something truly handmade. Factories have crept into everything these days, and this is what is devaluing our work. It lowers the prices and creates biases against handmade, artisanal work.”
We are thrilled to be supporting ILANO goods here at the shop and love everything they stand for... Stop on in to check out at these adorable pieces in person, or take a peek at the goodies on our online website!
