November 11, 2025 • 41 mins
What if the secret to growth isn’t chasing the next trend—but carrying a dream with enough grit to outlast them? In this episode, Adriana Castro shares how she turned Colombian craftsmanship and business discipline into a timeless accessories brand. Leaving a safe corporate path for design school, she transformed professors into mentors and built her first collection—and its production—from the ground up in Barranquilla. Adriana breaks down her hybrid strategy of pairing indigenous natural fibers with noble, long-lasting materials, and how stewardship programs like “certificates of adoption” can give accessories deeper meaning and legacy.
The conversation gets real about pricing, margins, and the danger of designing aspirationally without scale. Adriana opens up about balancing passion projects with profitability, identifying her true customer through data, and letting hero products carry the brand. From Sarah Jessica Parker rewearing the Eva Clutch to navigating the mental health side of entrepreneurship, Adriana’s story is both grounded and inspiring—a reminder that longevity comes from clarity, consistency, and care.
đź’ˇ Key Takeaways:
- Design with Purpose: Pair heritage craftsmanship with modern functionality to create lasting relevance.
- Price with Precision: Know your costs, protect your margins, and let data—not ego—guide decisions.
- Sustain the Maker: Longevity in business starts with valuing the people and energy behind every piece.
👤 Our Guest:
Adriana Castro is the founder and creative director of Adriana Castro, a Colombian luxury accessories brand celebrated for its craftsmanship, sustainable practices, and timeless design. Her work bridges artistry and entrepreneurship, honoring her heritage while redefining what it means to build a brand with purpose and endurance.
Host Emily Blumenthal is a handbag industry expert, author of Handbag Designer 101, and founder of The Handbag Awards. Known as the “Handbag Fairy Godmother,” Emily also teaches entrepreneurship at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is dedicated to celebrating creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of building iconic handbag brands.
Find Handbag Designer 101 Merch, HBD101 Masterclass, one-on-one sessions, and opportunities to book Emily Blumenth
Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
You know, like everyone would tell me follow a
dream.
Like, I don't agree with thefollow a dream.
I connect more with carry adream because it's heavy.
It's very heavy to carry adream, like carry handbag.
Like you have to carry with allthe lessons, you know, with all
the changes we have, likepolitical wise, you know, like
economy.
(00:20):
Like there's so many thingshappening in technology.
So I do see like my career ascarrying a dream.
Like that's how I see myself outthere.
SPEAKER_00 (00:31):
Hi, and welcome to Handbag Designer 101, the
podcast, with your host, EmilyBlumenthal, handbag industry
expert, and the handbag parrygodmother.
Each week we uncover the storiesbehind the handbags we love,
from the iconic brands and topdesigners, the creativity,
craftsmanship, and culture thatdefine the handbag world.
Whether you're a designer,collector, or simply passionate
(00:53):
about handbags, this is yourfront row deep to it all.
Welcome, Adriana Castro ofAdriana Castro of
Adrianacastro.co.
Thank you, thank you, thank youfor joining us.
I am delighted to see yourbeautiful Colombian slash Miami
(01:15):
face.
So happy to have you.
SPEAKER_01 (01:17):
I'm so excited and it feels like the old days.
Like I was so nervous beforereceiving the call.
Like the old days happened and Ididn't want to win awards.
Like you made me like rememberthat spark and feeling of
feeling excited about, you know,about your career and your basic
like career highlights.
So I'm so happy and thankful I'mhere with you.
(01:38):
And no matter the years, thatthat connection is still there.
And I'm still learning with fromyou every week with your
newsletter.
SPEAKER_00 (01:47):
I still feel you're a student.
Oh my God.
Well, I still have the video ofyou from 2009.
The one thing about you thatyou're very lucky is that you
always photograph very well.
So, you know, as long as youstay pretty and talented, I
don't think it matters aboutanything else with you.
So I think you're good.
You look the same.
(02:09):
Oh my goodness.
So, you know, she's fromColumbia, Ms.
Castro.
How did the handbag come to be?
Because it has been a long, longroad to, as we were just talking
about the evolution backwards,how when you and I started,
there was no social media to theextent it was like you had a
(02:30):
website and you went on the roadmeeting your customers one by
one.
And now your customers are soexcited that they just want to
call you and have a chat.
So, how did all this come to be?
SPEAKER_01 (02:42):
It's been like a really interesting experience
because I think through theyears, you know, technology
advances, um, everything goes sofast.
And now it's like we're goingbackwards.
But I think it's it's reallymagical to go back because I
think, you know, the customerout there wants to connect with
(03:03):
you, with the story behind it,not only with the story, but the
hands behind it, and kind of,you know, find that little
shopping experience like human.
I think that's their reaction towhat they're feeling, you know,
like that emptiness.
So they I think that's liketheir way to get back.
And also there's creatingsomething in us creators that we
(03:26):
enjoy that process.
And we are reminded why are wehere, why are we here to create,
and how it should feel.
It should feel exciting andpassionate and purposeful.
So that's where we are now, likegoing backwards, but I don't
even call it backwards.
I think for me it's alwaysforward, even though you know
there are some let's call likeAsian traditions, like kind of
(03:50):
like being born now with thatnew approach to shopping.
But I think it's it's reallymagical for us, and I think, you
know, like we're accepting itlike in a beautiful way.
SPEAKER_00 (04:01):
But you you started designing like your bags were
made in Colombia.
You were very much part of thewhole, you know, because I know
at one point Columbia wasreally, really, really pushing,
trying to get manufacturing donedomestically and using the
leathers and using the skins,whatever skins now are, you
(04:23):
know, legal and acceptable.
They may have been then, not somuch now.
How did all this come to be?
Because I know with your brand,aka Adriana Castro, you've been
through a lot of iterations ofseeing what worked, what didn't.
And I think also having aneponymous brand, i.e., a brand
(04:44):
named after yourself, there's alot of I don't want to say like
ego swallowing, where you startout thinking you're one big
thing and then it hits you inthe face, like, hold on, I'm
just trying to sell handbags.
So it's not about me, it's notabout like over the top and
selling these really expensivebags.
(05:05):
It's about selling bags to makepeople happy.
So, how did all this start?
SPEAKER_01 (05:11):
So now that I like I think about the purpose of
starting, I'm very paradoxic.
Like in Spanish, paradoja.
So when I started, I had this,you know, like this innate
feeling to support indigenouscommunities, artisans, working
with sustainable materials, withnatural fibers.
(05:33):
But at the same time, I wasinclined to create pieces that
would like be inherited fromgeneration to generation.
And that's where noble materialsand exotics came through it.
So I remember when starting, Ihad these two kind of radical
opponents in my head.
But I did start, you know, Isaid it's possible, why not?
(05:54):
I I don't consider myself to beonly like noble exotic materials
because I have this root insideof me, and that's how that bag
called that Senu bag was alwayspresent, made by indigenous
communities in the Caribbean.
But you also had, you know, likethe Python, the croc, and all
these noble materials, because Ireally thought, you know, in
(06:16):
some way they connected, youknow, like this is for me, this
is essence, this is root, thisis purpose.
And at the same time, this issomething that's gonna be
forever.
You know, like I even startedwith the birth certificate.
I don't know, when we're when Iwas a kid, we had the cabbage
patch kit.
I was just gonna say, yeah, andI I remember that feeling.
So we have with all this noblematerial handbags, we have this
(06:40):
adopt with love.
You know, you get the birthcertificate and then just
passing that through generationto generation.
So that's how it started withthis both markets, because at
the end it's like totallydifferent markets, you know,
like you have the raffia, thenatural fibers, and then you
have the noble materials.
So kind of it started, Colombiawas always present.
(07:02):
I love more than selling aproduct and more than creating a
handbag, I love telling stories,and I do find myself expressing
through fashion.
I just found, you know, I had somany things inside of me that
not a product could talk aboutit.
I needed a whole story, and Ithink that's how I really
(07:24):
started like in my career andwith the brand, because I did
feel like I needed it.
It's something I needed it totell a story.
Since I remember I have this inmy head from many years ago,
like carry a dream.
You know, like everyone wouldtell me follow a dream.
Like I don't agree with thefollow a dream.
I connect more with carry adream because it's heavy.
(07:46):
It's very heavy to carry adream, like carry handbag.
Like you have to carry with allthe lessons, you know, with all
the changes we have, like likepolitical wise, you know, like
economy.
Like there's so many thingshappening in technology.
So I do see like my career ascarrying a dream.
Like that's how I see myself outthere and being real of the
(08:10):
challenges.
You know, I had a few likepersonal challenges.
I lost my dad, you know, likesome like I lost a person I
love.
So all these lessons is life,you know, taught me to really be
out there telling the realstory, you know.
Like I think like mental healthis no, it's out there and kind
of, you know, it's sometimeseven creativity can help you
(08:32):
with with these issues.
Just finding the way to expresswhat you are feeling through
stories, through products,through creation.
So basically that's how I seemyself out there like carrying a
dream.
SPEAKER_00 (08:44):
But what was the moment?
Like, where were you when youwere like, okay, I have this
idea.
I'm not, you know, it's not likeyou came from a family that had
access to a handbag factory,right?
Like I met you as a result ofthe handbag awards, which I'm
(09:05):
very, very grateful that I hadthe foresight to create an award
show that I get to meet reallygreat people like yourself.
I mean, selfishly, that's kindof like, you know, if you can't
beat them, join them, create anawards where you can meet them.
So, so how are you like one day,like, hey, I know that they're
(09:26):
indigenous peoples who arecreating these tapestries and
very thoughtful ways of makingskins and materials?
And I would like to be theiradvocate and proponent to save
those cherished heritage ways ofmaking a bag.
(09:47):
And I want to be this agent.
Like, when did all this happen?
What were you doing that wereyou're like, because it's always
like, you know, it's it's it'ssitting in your head, and then
it takes residency, and then youfind yourself, and I talk about
this a lot, that most of thepeople who end up falling into
handbag design who were nottrained in design are usually
very rational, very thoughtful,very methodical people who are
(10:13):
not crazy, they're not spenders,they're not, you know, I'm gonna
dump a thousand million dollarson something.
But when this idea gets in theirhead, they become very
irrational, non-logical, veryalmost irresponsible people.
Like, I've got this, I'm gonnaspend all my time, effort, and
energy and money, I'm gonna dothat.
(10:34):
And then, you know, it takestime and experience and all that
to once you've gone through it,to be like, okay, I don't need
to create this bespoke lining inItaly because my customers don't
care about that.
Like, you gotta separateyourself.
But what when did all this cometo be that you're like, think
I'm gonna do this?
And it doesn't make sense, but Iknow my soul needs this.
SPEAKER_01 (10:54):
This is like a really interesting story.
So, like, I graduated fromAmerican high school in
Barranquilla, Colombia.
When I graduated, I went toPurdue to study economics,
Emily.
You know, my mom studiedeconomics, and I think, you
know, as a kid, you always havelike that person you look up to.
So I don't know, I had economicsin my mind.
I came to the US and I studiedeconomics four years in West
(11:17):
Lafayette, Indiana.
There was no fashion, there'sonly corn.
So I'm surprised I don't havelike a corn bag.
SPEAKER_00 (11:24):
But you know, it's funny because I know a lot of
people from other countries whenthey come to the US, they end up
in like tiny dot USA.
And you're like, you know, thepeople in tiny dot USA are like,
what's this beautiful girl fromColumbia doing here?
And you're like, Well, this isthe first place that took me,
the only place that took mewhere I had to get the hell out
(11:45):
and I wanted, I needed to startsomewhere.
SPEAKER_01 (11:48):
So then I graduate, I get a job Sony Corporate in
Miami, like just after school.
All my friends would tell methat's the dream job.
Right, of course.
I was counting the hours, likeI'm like, this can't feel right.
Yeah, I remember that feeling.
I was 21 and everything like aline.
(12:09):
I know it's like everyday thingsthat happening in the US with
immigrants, and so I rememberfor some reason I had that OPT.
You know, you graduate from anAmerican school, you get one
year to work, right?
And the the company has tosponsor you to continue working
(12:29):
in the US.
For some reason, at that moment,they were not sponsoring.
And I just sat there, I said,you know what?
I'm going all the way.
Something that I've I alwaysloved.
I always loved handbags, notfashion.
It was like my mom would tell mesince I'm a kid, I'd always just
like see the handbag.
Like it was crazy.
(12:50):
Maybe because I'm from theCaribbean, we are like beige,
linen, whites.
So for me, the magic was all inthe accessory.
So I reached out to the ArtInstitute in Miami and I did the
whole thing.
I'm saying, I'm staying, I'mstudying again, I'm doing this
all over again.
So imagine how the universe justputs some times, you know, like
maybe I was 21.
Now maybe I'm more like awake,and maybe you feel more like,
(13:13):
you know, you feel this thesignals more.
But at that time, it was like aforced frame, a forced
direction.
Because, you know, like I likeeverything legal, everything has
to feel right.
And at that moment, I I went toschool.
And being in school, I alreadyhad the economics background.
So I was only focusing on thefashion classes.
(13:33):
It was like it was fun, youknow, because all the other
things I already did it.
Like you're like sure, themicroeconomics, like the whole,
the whole boring part for me, Iwas doing all that created.
And I remember I would use allthe professors at the end of
classes, like, you know, like myfriends mentoring.
Like I'm like, I want to staywith you.
You know, I have this dream.
(13:54):
I remember my first collectionwas called Amazonia.
I remember in school, like I wasjust launching a collection
right in school.
Like I was going all the waythere.
When I now that I look back, I'mlike, wow, maybe if I knew more,
maybe I wouldn't jump in.
But it was it was meant to bethat way.
SPEAKER_00 (14:11):
So I remember I launched my first collection in
school.
I'm excited to share my new bookwith you.
Welcome to Savvy Susanna'sAmazing Adventures in Handbags
and the start of Susanna'striumphant journey to become a
young handbag designer.
Filled with ingenuity, fun, anda hint of steam, Susanna will
inspire children and youeverywhere to follow their
(14:32):
dreams and put in the hard workto get there.
Savvy Susanna is available onAmazon, Barnes and Noble, or
wherever you get your books.
Thanks for your support.
Can I tell you?
I'm so interrupting you.
People complain about meinterrupting all the time, but I
have to tell you.
No, no, no, no, because thething is that most people don't
(14:52):
do, and you're like one of thefew people I know.
Like when I launched my brand, Iwas getting my MBA.
I used every single professor.
And I think maybe because it'sthe second round of school, your
lens is different.
Like you're much more nottransactional, but like you're
seeing everything as a utility,like more practical, right?
(15:15):
More practical.
Like I have someone who's anexpert.
I have someone who can look atthis.
I've said, like, okay, so you'regonna be my mentor.
Guess what?
You didn't sign up for it, youdidn't ask, but I've hired you.
That's it.
So, you know, you're usingeverything at your disposal.
So I I like live for the hustle.
That's my jam.
This is why I still am obsessedwith you.
(15:35):
Exactly.
Because that's the thing.
SPEAKER_01 (15:36):
Like, you knew you and I felt lost because I had
the economics problems, I feltso lost being like in this
science school.
I felt like so lost.
And then I would see the otherstudents felt so lost with the
things I already did and wereeasy for me.
I'm like, Professor, I need you.
Like, I don't, I don't know howyou to how to do a mood.
Like, I was so like, what am Isupposed to do?
(15:57):
Like, what is this?
Yeah.
And that's how it started.
I remember launching in South ofFifth.
I remember in a club.
It was the first fashion show.
I was in a club.
I was in a club.
I remember like it seemed likeyesterday, but a lot has been
going on after.
And that's how it started.
It's now that I see it, I'mlike, wow, what were you doing?
(16:17):
Like a fashion show?
Like it's like like so many, youknow, everything has changed.
Now, you know, you dopresentations, you show one by
one.
It's like so different.
But the moment is what I knew,and it worked out.
And I remember when I started, Igot a showroom in New York.
Her name is Rita Overset.
She was amazing.
She also had her own brand withthe family, like a handback
(16:38):
brand.
So she guided me.
And I started with her.
And when we were there, thebuyers started to come in,
ordering.
And that's how the team ofPatricia Field from Six in the
City got there.
And they pick up of some of thebags and they for the second
movie.
And they were there.
And I was like, at that time, Ididn't have an atelier.
I didn't have, I just had likean outsource workshop working
(17:00):
for us.
And then at that time I had tolike run to find my own
production.
Someone make the damn bags.
But so in theory, everything isso different.
And then in practice, it's likejust take a plane and like you
know, like with those samples,just go and figure it out and
and and look for production.
That's how we started our ownlittle workshop in Barranquilla.
It was it was because we neededit, it was like forced too.
(17:22):
And that's how it all started.
And I I just knew Colombia wasthe you know, was the country
where to start.
There were my roots.
And then with time, we startedalso working not only with
Colombian artisans, but also,you know, like from Spain as
well, from Italy.
So kind of, you know, findingthat same ethic in any in other
countries, right?
(17:43):
So kind of it all started.
SPEAKER_00 (17:46):
It's crazy though, isn't it?
But now just a question becauseyour bags have always been on
the luxe side.
Did you find that your pricepoint hindered your growth?
Or you dug your heels in andsaid, This is who I am, it
doesn't matter.
(18:07):
You know, they're gonna have tofollow me because there's a lot
of a lot of designers, a lot ofnew designers who don't
understand pricing.
And because they don't haveorders against their bags or
don't understand the laws, thebasic laws of economies of
scale, you know, the more youproduce, the less your goods
(18:29):
cost, that they assume that theonly way they can do this is by
charging upwards of seven toeight hundred a bag when the
materials may or not be worthit.
But that's what the only waythey can make money is to charge
that price point.
And by doing basic competitiveanalysis, like who do I hang
(18:54):
with or sit with as the buyersask?
You learn, like, oh damn, likeI'm an unknown brand.
Maybe my bags do cost too much,or maybe my bags cost this, but
I'm I'm sticking to it.
Like, how did you handle that?
Because there's a lot of prosand cons and challenges that
come with the fundamentals ofpricing when you're a new brand
(19:15):
and have orders, but don't havesales against it, or the other
way around.
SPEAKER_01 (19:21):
I remember your book was a lot of help at that time.
Like the Hamper designed in 101.
I remember like I had twoversions, one that I highlighted
and one that I wanted to keep.
Oh my god.
So I think you as a creator, yousometimes you feel connected to
a piece, you know, that maybe itdoesn't make sense to a buyer or
(19:45):
the market.
But I think you have to createthat hybrid momentum when you
are making a collection.
So I think you do now that I goback, maybe at the moment I
didn't know a lot about thefundamentals of pricing.
I know the basics.
And then maybe I was not making,you know, like enough for like
margin for a product.
(20:05):
But then kind of in in the way,like there was like a hybrid mix
to it, you know, like sometimesyou are losing in one, but
you're you feel it's you and youwant it there and you don't want
to ruin the whole curve, youknow, for pricing or for like
the category where you're at thestore.
And I think I had to like we hadto play with it.
But I do think the mostimportant to have that clear
(20:27):
before starting.
Like I think it that processcould save you a lot of money
and a lot of time to have thosefundamentals of pricing like
really clear and knowing, youknow, I'm a creator.
Try to find the best way to havesomething, you know, like you
feel it's your brand, but don'tforget about the customer and
what they're willing to pay forit.
Like you have to be morerealistic.
(20:49):
Sometimes we as creators,sometimes we we are in the
clouds.
So you we need that, you know,that financial kind of comeback,
you know, like that person thatcould guide you, you know, like
two combines, like you, like youhave the creativity, but you are
down to earth, like and you knowbusiness, you know.
(21:09):
So that's like the the perfectmix, even to kind of apply that
to all the collections youdesign too.
You have to have that, you know,that dream there, but you have
to have the realistic approachto the market as well.
SPEAKER_00 (21:22):
It's really, really tricky.
I mean, just because I know yourbags are made with finer
materials, and I think, youknow, the good thing about being
Latin or Caribbean or orColombian or even being from
Miami is by culture, you have alot of people around you.
SPEAKER_01 (21:44):
Like it's you know what, Emily?
It's it's so crazy.
If you tell me who our customeris, it's not any of those.
It's it's it's crazy.
Like it's not like like it's notlike the Miami, it's not like
the Colombians, not the Latins.
I think we have learned in theway, like maybe at first, like
we we are designing for thatculture because we are
(22:07):
Colombians or we're Latins, butthen it's so beautiful the
process, like this connects withuh other markets, like totally
opposite of where you come from.
It's it's interesting.
SPEAKER_00 (22:19):
No, that's such a good segue, but to start, you
know, it it helps.
We're only yeah, we're only aswe're only and that's one of the
things like I I teach, like youknow, you have no brand if you
have no community, and that's soimportant.
You need to as someone who'screating something, you need to
(22:41):
create that community.
So I feel like not that youstarted at an advantage, but you
had an insta community purely asa result of it being you, right?
Yeah.
You have a look, you had yourepresent the aspirational
Adriana Castro customer.
By no means though, and this isone of the takeaways from having
(23:05):
done several incubators, that somany designers don't take the
time to do the the analytics ofof doing a deep dive of the zip
codes of their customers.
And when you do that, uh you'reable to see from a socioeconomic
(23:25):
level of where these people arecoming from.
And that's when you realize,hey, now, these aren't all
beautiful people from Miami.
This is someone from Chicago orEvanston or from Texas or
Louisiana or and because andI've told this story before, I
had one designer who wasgrossing a million, about a
(23:50):
million dollars, not net gross.
And when I was trying to helpher get acquired, my MA, my
mergers and acquisitions contactsaid, How many employees does
she have?
And all this ties into like thisbigger story.
And when I said, Oh, it's great,you know, there's one and a
half, she's got an assistant andshe's got half a part-time
(24:14):
person.
And he's like, Well, that's ared flag.
And I said, What do you meanthat's a red flag?
It's amazing, it's a much easierposition.
Like it's it's lean.
And he's like, No, because thenthe brand's all about her.
So I can't sell her brandbecause that's selling her.
(24:36):
And when the customers arebuying the product, it needs to
be about the bag, not about thecreator.
And the further away you getfrom the product and knowing it
can sell without you, becausethat's really what it is.
Because the person in tiny dotUSA, pardon my French, doesn't
give a shit that you're thisbeautiful girl from from
Columbia and lives in Miami.
SPEAKER_01 (24:59):
They don't even maybe know you.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (25:01):
Exactly.
Because the product needs tosell itself.
And I think that is a learningcurve process.
And, you know, the amount ofpop-ups and door to door, like
and meet the designers.
Like you could do those tillyou're blue in the face, and
that helps breed momentum andnoise, but that's not going to
be the consistent to keep yourproduct selling.
(25:22):
And I think that's what a lot ofpeople need to have to go
through that whole experience ofI'm a designer, I'm a creator,
my bags are$800 to get to thatpoint to realize, hey, now it's
not about me.
My bag needs to sell many, manytimes without me even being part
of the process.
SPEAKER_01 (25:40):
You know what really I enjoy when when I see someone
with my bag, you know, and likethey don't like, I'm there, they
don't even know, you know, howabout the bag?
And then I have this, if it thisis crazy.
I have this story with a friendwe met in an elevator.
She's also a designer from NewYork.
Her name is Kimberly Taylor, andwe met in an elevator.
(26:00):
Like I was wearing my bag, andshe she's in the elevator, and
she's like, Oh, I also own anAdriana Castor bag.
Like, that's what she said.
I'm like, hi, I'm Adriana.
It's like, oh, no way.
It was like that's like whereyou know you are doing things
right.
You know, like I know peoplelike, you know, like they can
say the brand needs the founder,you need to connect, you have to
(26:21):
be out there, the story.
But that's an example, like thatit really told me, you know,
something is you are doingsomething right.
And from then it's like a wholenew connection.
We're doing like collaborations,pop-ups in the hamps.
It's like crazy.
Like, and she didn't even knowwho I was.
She was buying right the bagfrom a store, and it was like
she's even promoting it to me,like, oh, I have this Arena
(26:41):
Castro bag.
I'm like, she doesn't know I'mI'm like, that's like thank your
universe.
SPEAKER_00 (26:46):
Yeah, it's it's those little moments though that
that keep you going becauselook, running a brand is one
thing, but being a designer,having to deal with, you know,
production, tariffs, accountspayable, accounts receivable,
like all that.
It's not sexy, it's not pretty,it's not cute.
(27:08):
You know, that makes 80% of yourbusiness is not the product.
It's all that other bullshit tokeep your product going.
SPEAKER_01 (27:16):
And even Emily, your life going because you still
have to pay bills, like besidesthe business, like you have to
take care, you know, of your ownbusiness, like your own personal
business.
So it's like you have like two,as you said, like two realities,
and it's not all cute.
You know, it's like a lot ofpressure and like in both ways
because you like you have tohave like both things covered.
SPEAKER_00 (27:37):
Right, right, right, right.
And it's it's very isolating andlonely, especially doing what we
do, doing what you do.
It is a very lonely, lonelyprocess.
And like having this need, andand I applaud the fact that your
brand is still going and youstill look exactly the same as
you did when I met you.
(27:59):
But it's a lot of evolution, andpeople don't seem to realize the
commitment that goes into doingthis because at one point maybe
it was a hobby, or maybe youthought it was a business, and
it may or may not have beenmaking money.
But 10 years later, the lens ofwhat you're looking, it's
different.
It's like, no way, it's thatsales.
My bags need to go.
(28:20):
Like, you know, it's not so muchabout like, what's the next
collection?
It's like, what are my numbers?
What's selling?
How can I capitalize on my herobag or my anchor product and
extend from that?
So I know that if 80% of mybusiness comes from 20% of my
customers, how can I keep this20% feeling like queens that
(28:41):
they get the special attentionso I can get them to come back
and buy again and again andagain?
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SPEAKER_01 (30:22):
And also besides that, it's like also
understanding what your body andyour soul and your mind can't
can deliver, you know?
So it's like doing that balance.
I think once you you have a fewyears in the industry, now you
understand.
You know, it's like it'snumbers, but at the same time,
what can you deliver?
You know, it's like like how howcan you balance that equation?
(30:43):
And that's I think I found itvery interesting.
And learning, you know, like notfeeling guilt if you are not
delivering X amount of styles ayear or a season, like just like
releasing that guilt and kind ofdo things more purposeful,
basically.
SPEAKER_00 (30:59):
Yeah, it definitely takes a lot to look at it from
because you know, you're taughtcommercially, we need to be
producing this many a season andthis, and we need to have new
product.
And you know, historically, whenwe were obsessed with getting
into these big, big retailers,because that when we were coming
up, that was that was the vibe.
(31:20):
That if they saw the sameproduct and you were trying to
get in the store again and youshowed them the same product, if
that same buyer was there, she'dbe like, I saw that already.
Why are you wasting my time?
SPEAKER_01 (31:30):
Emily, now you say that and it's so funny.
Like they are still or like theystill order the bags like from
10 years ago, and it's so funny.
Like, and now, like they seelike even not even because
they're not in the website.
I think they go throughPinterest or they go through,
you know, like Google archivesor something.
Like, you still make this?
I'm like, it's it's so it'sbeautiful to have created some
(31:53):
pieces, like no matter theyears, they're timeless, and
people still value, you know,like that style.
So that's very interesting.
It's like they want new product,but then like now it's like, no,
no, can we just repeat the samestyle?
Can we get that one back?
So it's it's nice, you know,it's like a learning experience,
you know.
Like sometimes we're so focusedon delivering, delivering new,
new, new.
(32:13):
And sometimes you have magicalready there that just needs to
be re recreated.
And even in financial terms, itmakes sense because you're not
making new prototypes, you know,you aren't like there's a lot
behind to it.
So I think just releasing thatguild of recreating styles and
recreating some, you know, somearchives, that's I think I found
it really important in this partof the of the brand.
SPEAKER_00 (32:38):
But you know, to that point, it's funny because
what I created, this sectioncalled It Bag with New York now,
was purely as a result ofexactly what you're talking
about.
Because as independentdesigners, I hate the term
emerging, people know that it'slike pet peeve of mine.
Like if you've been doing it forfive years, you've emerged.
Like, like you know, like you'vegrown.
(32:59):
Like, what is there?
Like, I'm still an undercover.
But buyers and your customersknow you for a handful, maybe
three at most of your anchorpieces or your best-selling
bags.
So to feel like that pressureand guilt to I need to
constantly reinvent the wheel.
No, you don't.
You don't.
(33:20):
You redo much like themotorcycle bag or the city bag
about Ciaga, you keep putting itout, change the material, change
the shape slightly.
But if that's what your customerbase wants, then that's what you
should give them.
SPEAKER_01 (33:35):
So you love it too.
Like, if you still love it, likewhy just like because it's you
can't disappear.
It's like I don't, it's likebeing like, you know, it's like
I don't know, it's like losinglike a little of soul.
Like, okay, like it's like inSpanish it's como desechable,
like something that is like onedate gone, you know, like right,
right.
SPEAKER_00 (33:55):
Like if you love those pair of jeans, you're
gonna keep wearing them over andover and over again.
And for whatever you keep mightbe might buy new pairs of jeans,
you're always gonna go back tothis one pair because of how it
makes you feel.
So why not keep putting out thesame product and an iteration of
that to keep that 20% happy thanto feel that pressure and
(34:17):
expense, like to create newproduct?
It's expensive.
Not only, you know, the samplingdoesn't matter who you are, you
still have to pay for sampling.
Then it comes in, then it's notright, then you have to do the
test drive, just like anythingelse.
What's wrong?
And the sell-in, it's like acustomer acquisition cost
because then you need to tellyour customers, like, hey there,
(34:38):
I got a new bag, and they'relike, but I'm happy with this
one.
Why?
Why?
SPEAKER_01 (34:43):
Just why?
I'm gonna share like a littlestory that was kind of related
to what we're talking about.
So, like Insects in the CD2,okay, Sar Jessica Parker, Curry,
like it's called the Eva clutch,right?
And that that was done, and thenfast forward, and just like
that, you know, I'm watching,and I remember my dad passed
away January 3rd, and I rememberhis mask was January 6th.
(35:05):
I go back home, I put on the TV,and then she walks in with like
an empty, I remember, emptywhite um apartment she was gonna
move after Big passed away, andthen she's carrying the same bag
in and just like that, andimagine how many years passed.
(35:27):
I didn't know that that's not acustomer, that's her.
And I'm like, what's this?
Is this like data signal?
Like I have to keep going,creating timeless pieces.
And then I was kind of curioushow did that happen?
You know, it's because I therewas no stylist reaching out.
No, and Patricia Field wasn'tpart of it.
No, nothing.
And then I asked, and then itwas like she had it like from
(35:49):
her archives, it was hers.
She brought it to the set, andI'm like, she's not my customer,
she doesn't even like, I'm nother friend.
Like, she doesn't know who I am.
She doesn't know.
I remember I met her at thepremiere, but I'm sure she
doesn't remember at all who Iam.
But she carried the bag, shebrought it to the set, and it
was again and just like that.
And I'm like, how'd you findout?
(36:09):
No, so like I went in to throughInstagram and I said, like, I
just want to know, like, how no.
She brought it to the set.
That's part of her archive.
Like, that's because she Iremember when the Sex in the
City 2 happened, we were askedif we wanted to gift her one of
the pieces she liked.
And she liked that one.
I'm like, yes, you know what?
She likes she she likes it, sheshe wants it.
(36:30):
Like, let her have it.
Bye con Dios, enjoy.
But I didn't know, you know, shekept it all these years.
You know how you see all theseinfluencers everything like
selling their closets and it'spart of the new energy, but I
was so happy she kept it, andnot only that, she brought it to
the set, and she was in one ofthe episodes.
I'm like, wow, like so.
That's what you said.
(36:51):
It's like even her, she's not acustomer, she's kind of
confirming the theory we'retalking about.
It's like there's somecircumstances if like the
change.
Like when I see a previouspieces, maybe what I feel for
them now it's different.
Like things change, energieschange.
So, like, you know, it's likesometimes now I want like those
pieces back and I wear them.
(37:11):
I'm like, wow, they feel so newagain.
SPEAKER_00 (37:13):
Very, very, very like what was I thinking?
I know.
SPEAKER_01 (37:16):
So that was a story, it really like kind of
confirmed, you know, liketimeless, then you could create
timeless pieces, you could donoble materials again, like the
adopt with love.
If you have something, you know,like you don't feel now, like
why not, you know, your friendor someone you know adopt that
bag, but you promise to lovethat bag forever.
Like you are like givingsomething special to that
(37:36):
person.
So it was very, you know, it waskind of reaffirming that after I
saw Sarazica Parker so manyyears.
I think it was 10 years after,like 12, yeah, right?
SPEAKER_00 (37:47):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Wow, wow.
So you're part of iconic historytwice.
That's I remember because Iremember talking to Carlos Fauci
about your bag because he wasone of the judges.
And, you know, he had a lot offeelings being Brazilian and
seeing he's like, she's veryinspired.
(38:07):
And I'm like, she's not inspiredby you.
I can tell you that.
Like you are inspirational, butshe's from Colombia.
Like, she's got her own thinggoing on.
And I said, you know, thebeautiful thing about being care
uh from the Caribbean and beingSouth American, and like you
said, this very clean palette,much like what you're wearing in
your very clean walls and lightfixtures, which I'm like, oh my
(38:30):
God, there's no fingerprints allover them.
I it's it's one of those thingsthat it would make sense that
the same thing that wouldinfluence him would influence
you.
Because the culturalcharacteristics are the same.
And this yearn for color andcreativity in this very clean
palette for those who can will,and you are just one of those
(38:55):
people.
SPEAKER_01 (38:56):
So I will like honestly, he was uh like I
really admire him, and I justfound so magical his story, like
like you know, like all hisbackground and and like it would
I really admire him, and youknow, it was like I also met him
through you.
And so yeah, so I'm sorry, hewas also he created a legacy,
and now I know I was trying toget in contact with his brother
(39:19):
in New York because I I had thatlittle commitment, you know, to
say, you know, I really lovewhat your father did, and I know
they're doing now handbacks madeby the brother.
So for some reason, I was like,all those stories they still are
in my heart, and I try toconnect, you know, when things,
you know, it's it's weird.
I I saw he was still creating,I'm like, wow, he's still alive.
And that for me, that was likevery I know it was a happy
(39:41):
moment to feel like he's stillalive.
SPEAKER_00 (39:43):
Yeah, yeah.
Oh my gosh, Adrianola, thank youso much for joining us.
SPEAKER_01 (39:48):
It was like a very happy Friday.
Like you made my day.
Oh, you know, like I I loveremembering, you know, like old
times and and just uh confirmmyself why I'm doing this, and
it's like it's motivation aswell for me.
And I hope for other creatorsand all your students.
I hope one day I can attend yourclass.
SPEAKER_00 (40:06):
Oh my god, I'm gonna have you as a guest speaker next
uh next next semester.
You're gonna be one of my guestspeakers.
I can't wait.
Adriana, how can we find you,follow you and buy your
beautiful product?
SPEAKER_01 (40:18):
So the website's adrianacastro.co, and then you
can follow us on Instagram atAdriana Castro as well.
And I love you know being incontact, like real contact.
So like don't like write myname.
I want I want to really likeconnect with you, and and I hope
this is just like a littlewindow to connect with your
followers as well.
SPEAKER_00 (40:37):
Oh my goodness.
Well, and for those people whoaren't as cool, it's Adriana
with one N, not you.
And Castro Colombia, notColombia, right?
Oh my god, please.
Yeah, with it's no, not a you.
Wake up.
Oh my goodness.
Thank you, thank you.
Like I won another award fromHandley's under 101.
Oh my gosh.
Well, the handbag awards andmyself, thank you.
(41:00):
Thank you so much.
Thanks for listening.
Don't forget to rate and reviewand follow us on every single
platform at handbag designer.
Thanks so much.
See you next time.
You know, like everyone would tell me follow a
dream.
Like, I don't agree with thefollow a dream.
I connect more with carry adream because it's heavy.
It's very heavy to carry adream, like carry handbag.
Like you have to carry with allthe lessons, you know, with all
the changes we have, likepolitical wise, you know, like
economy.
(00:20):
Like there's so many thingshappening in technology.
So I do see like my career ascarrying a dream.
Like that's how I see myself outthere.
SPEAKER_00 (00:31):
Hi, and welcome to Handbag Designer 101, the
podcast, with your host, EmilyBlumenthal, handbag industry
expert, and the handbag parrygodmother.
Each week we uncover the storiesbehind the handbags we love,
from the iconic brands and topdesigners, the creativity,
craftsmanship, and culture thatdefine the handbag world.
Whether you're a designer,collector, or simply passionate
(00:53):
about handbags, this is yourfront row deep to it all.
Welcome, Adriana Castro ofAdriana Castro of
Adrianacastro.co.
Thank you, thank you, thank youfor joining us.
I am delighted to see yourbeautiful Colombian slash Miami
(01:15):
face.
So happy to have you.
SPEAKER_01 (01:17):
I'm so excited and it feels like the old days.
Like I was so nervous beforereceiving the call.
Like the old days happened and Ididn't want to win awards.
Like you made me like rememberthat spark and feeling of
feeling excited about, you know,about your career and your basic
like career highlights.
So I'm so happy and thankful I'mhere with you.
(01:38):
And no matter the years, thatthat connection is still there.
And I'm still learning with fromyou every week with your
newsletter.
SPEAKER_00 (01:47):
I still feel you're a student.
Oh my God.
Well, I still have the video ofyou from 2009.
The one thing about you thatyou're very lucky is that you
always photograph very well.
So, you know, as long as youstay pretty and talented, I
don't think it matters aboutanything else with you.
So I think you're good.
You look the same.
(02:09):
Oh my goodness.
So, you know, she's fromColumbia, Ms.
Castro.
How did the handbag come to be?
Because it has been a long, longroad to, as we were just talking
about the evolution backwards,how when you and I started,
there was no social media to theextent it was like you had a
(02:30):
website and you went on the roadmeeting your customers one by
one.
And now your customers are soexcited that they just want to
call you and have a chat.
So, how did all this come to be?
SPEAKER_01 (02:42):
It's been like a really interesting experience
because I think through theyears, you know, technology
advances, um, everything goes sofast.
And now it's like we're goingbackwards.
But I think it's it's reallymagical to go back because I
think, you know, the customerout there wants to connect with
(03:03):
you, with the story behind it,not only with the story, but the
hands behind it, and kind of,you know, find that little
shopping experience like human.
I think that's their reaction towhat they're feeling, you know,
like that emptiness.
So they I think that's liketheir way to get back.
And also there's creatingsomething in us creators that we
(03:26):
enjoy that process.
And we are reminded why are wehere, why are we here to create,
and how it should feel.
It should feel exciting andpassionate and purposeful.
So that's where we are now, likegoing backwards, but I don't
even call it backwards.
I think for me it's alwaysforward, even though you know
there are some let's call likeAsian traditions, like kind of
(03:50):
like being born now with thatnew approach to shopping.
But I think it's it's reallymagical for us, and I think, you
know, like we're accepting itlike in a beautiful way.
SPEAKER_00 (04:01):
But you you started designing like your bags were
made in Colombia.
You were very much part of thewhole, you know, because I know
at one point Columbia wasreally, really, really pushing,
trying to get manufacturing donedomestically and using the
leathers and using the skins,whatever skins now are, you
(04:23):
know, legal and acceptable.
They may have been then, not somuch now.
How did all this come to be?
Because I know with your brand,aka Adriana Castro, you've been
through a lot of iterations ofseeing what worked, what didn't.
And I think also having aneponymous brand, i.e., a brand
(04:44):
named after yourself, there's alot of I don't want to say like
ego swallowing, where you startout thinking you're one big
thing and then it hits you inthe face, like, hold on, I'm
just trying to sell handbags.
So it's not about me, it's notabout like over the top and
selling these really expensivebags.
(05:05):
It's about selling bags to makepeople happy.
So, how did all this start?
SPEAKER_01 (05:11):
So now that I like I think about the purpose of
starting, I'm very paradoxic.
Like in Spanish, paradoja.
So when I started, I had this,you know, like this innate
feeling to support indigenouscommunities, artisans, working
with sustainable materials, withnatural fibers.
(05:33):
But at the same time, I wasinclined to create pieces that
would like be inherited fromgeneration to generation.
And that's where noble materialsand exotics came through it.
So I remember when starting, Ihad these two kind of radical
opponents in my head.
But I did start, you know, Isaid it's possible, why not?
(05:54):
I I don't consider myself to beonly like noble exotic materials
because I have this root insideof me, and that's how that bag
called that Senu bag was alwayspresent, made by indigenous
communities in the Caribbean.
But you also had, you know, likethe Python, the croc, and all
these noble materials, because Ireally thought, you know, in
(06:16):
some way they connected, youknow, like this is for me, this
is essence, this is root, thisis purpose.
And at the same time, this issomething that's gonna be
forever.
You know, like I even startedwith the birth certificate.
I don't know, when we're when Iwas a kid, we had the cabbage
patch kit.
I was just gonna say, yeah, andI I remember that feeling.
So we have with all this noblematerial handbags, we have this
(06:40):
adopt with love.
You know, you get the birthcertificate and then just
passing that through generationto generation.
So that's how it started withthis both markets, because at
the end it's like totallydifferent markets, you know,
like you have the raffia, thenatural fibers, and then you
have the noble materials.
So kind of it started, Colombiawas always present.
(07:02):
I love more than selling aproduct and more than creating a
handbag, I love telling stories,and I do find myself expressing
through fashion.
I just found, you know, I had somany things inside of me that
not a product could talk aboutit.
I needed a whole story, and Ithink that's how I really
(07:24):
started like in my career andwith the brand, because I did
feel like I needed it.
It's something I needed it totell a story.
Since I remember I have this inmy head from many years ago,
like carry a dream.
You know, like everyone wouldtell me follow a dream.
Like I don't agree with thefollow a dream.
I connect more with carry adream because it's heavy.
(07:46):
It's very heavy to carry adream, like carry handbag.
Like you have to carry with allthe lessons, you know, with all
the changes we have, like likepolitical wise, you know, like
economy.
Like there's so many thingshappening in technology.
So I do see like my career ascarrying a dream.
Like that's how I see myself outthere and being real of the
(08:10):
challenges.
You know, I had a few likepersonal challenges.
I lost my dad, you know, likesome like I lost a person I
love.
So all these lessons is life,you know, taught me to really be
out there telling the realstory, you know.
Like I think like mental healthis no, it's out there and kind
of, you know, it's sometimeseven creativity can help you
(08:32):
with with these issues.
Just finding the way to expresswhat you are feeling through
stories, through products,through creation.
So basically that's how I seemyself out there like carrying a
dream.
SPEAKER_00 (08:44):
But what was the moment?
Like, where were you when youwere like, okay, I have this
idea.
I'm not, you know, it's not likeyou came from a family that had
access to a handbag factory,right?
Like I met you as a result ofthe handbag awards, which I'm
(09:05):
very, very grateful that I hadthe foresight to create an award
show that I get to meet reallygreat people like yourself.
I mean, selfishly, that's kindof like, you know, if you can't
beat them, join them, create anawards where you can meet them.
So, so how are you like one day,like, hey, I know that they're
(09:26):
indigenous peoples who arecreating these tapestries and
very thoughtful ways of makingskins and materials?
And I would like to be theiradvocate and proponent to save
those cherished heritage ways ofmaking a bag.
(09:47):
And I want to be this agent.
Like, when did all this happen?
What were you doing that wereyou're like, because it's always
like, you know, it's it's it'ssitting in your head, and then
it takes residency, and then youfind yourself, and I talk about
this a lot, that most of thepeople who end up falling into
handbag design who were nottrained in design are usually
very rational, very thoughtful,very methodical people who are
(10:13):
not crazy, they're not spenders,they're not, you know, I'm gonna
dump a thousand million dollarson something.
But when this idea gets in theirhead, they become very
irrational, non-logical, veryalmost irresponsible people.
Like, I've got this, I'm gonnaspend all my time, effort, and
energy and money, I'm gonna dothat.
(10:34):
And then, you know, it takestime and experience and all that
to once you've gone through it,to be like, okay, I don't need
to create this bespoke lining inItaly because my customers don't
care about that.
Like, you gotta separateyourself.
But what when did all this cometo be that you're like, think
I'm gonna do this?
And it doesn't make sense, but Iknow my soul needs this.
SPEAKER_01 (10:54):
This is like a really interesting story.
So, like, I graduated fromAmerican high school in
Barranquilla, Colombia.
When I graduated, I went toPurdue to study economics,
Emily.
You know, my mom studiedeconomics, and I think, you
know, as a kid, you always havelike that person you look up to.
So I don't know, I had economicsin my mind.
I came to the US and I studiedeconomics four years in West
(11:17):
Lafayette, Indiana.
There was no fashion, there'sonly corn.
So I'm surprised I don't havelike a corn bag.
SPEAKER_00 (11:24):
But you know, it's funny because I know a lot of
people from other countries whenthey come to the US, they end up
in like tiny dot USA.
And you're like, you know, thepeople in tiny dot USA are like,
what's this beautiful girl fromColumbia doing here?
And you're like, Well, this isthe first place that took me,
the only place that took mewhere I had to get the hell out
(11:45):
and I wanted, I needed to startsomewhere.
SPEAKER_01 (11:48):
So then I graduate, I get a job Sony Corporate in
Miami, like just after school.
All my friends would tell methat's the dream job.
Right, of course.
I was counting the hours, likeI'm like, this can't feel right.
Yeah, I remember that feeling.
I was 21 and everything like aline.
(12:09):
I know it's like everyday thingsthat happening in the US with
immigrants, and so I rememberfor some reason I had that OPT.
You know, you graduate from anAmerican school, you get one
year to work, right?
And the the company has tosponsor you to continue working
(12:29):
in the US.
For some reason, at that moment,they were not sponsoring.
And I just sat there, I said,you know what?
I'm going all the way.
Something that I've I alwaysloved.
I always loved handbags, notfashion.
It was like my mom would tell mesince I'm a kid, I'd always just
like see the handbag.
Like it was crazy.
(12:50):
Maybe because I'm from theCaribbean, we are like beige,
linen, whites.
So for me, the magic was all inthe accessory.
So I reached out to the ArtInstitute in Miami and I did the
whole thing.
I'm saying, I'm staying, I'mstudying again, I'm doing this
all over again.
So imagine how the universe justputs some times, you know, like
maybe I was 21.
Now maybe I'm more like awake,and maybe you feel more like,
(13:13):
you know, you feel this thesignals more.
But at that time, it was like aforced frame, a forced
direction.
Because, you know, like I likeeverything legal, everything has
to feel right.
And at that moment, I I went toschool.
And being in school, I alreadyhad the economics background.
So I was only focusing on thefashion classes.
(13:33):
It was like it was fun, youknow, because all the other
things I already did it.
Like you're like sure, themicroeconomics, like the whole,
the whole boring part for me, Iwas doing all that created.
And I remember I would use allthe professors at the end of
classes, like, you know, like myfriends mentoring.
Like I'm like, I want to staywith you.
You know, I have this dream.
(13:54):
I remember my first collectionwas called Amazonia.
I remember in school, like I wasjust launching a collection
right in school.
Like I was going all the waythere.
When I now that I look back, I'mlike, wow, maybe if I knew more,
maybe I wouldn't jump in.
But it was it was meant to bethat way.
SPEAKER_00 (14:11):
So I remember I launched my first collection in
school.
I'm excited to share my new bookwith you.
Welcome to Savvy Susanna'sAmazing Adventures in Handbags
and the start of Susanna'striumphant journey to become a
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Filled with ingenuity, fun, anda hint of steam, Susanna will
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(14:32):
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Savvy Susanna is available onAmazon, Barnes and Noble, or
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Thanks for your support.
Can I tell you?
I'm so interrupting you.
People complain about meinterrupting all the time, but I
have to tell you.
No, no, no, no, because thething is that most people don't
(14:52):
do, and you're like one of thefew people I know.
Like when I launched my brand, Iwas getting my MBA.
I used every single professor.
And I think maybe because it'sthe second round of school, your
lens is different.
Like you're much more nottransactional, but like you're
seeing everything as a utility,like more practical, right?
(15:15):
More practical.
Like I have someone who's anexpert.
I have someone who can look atthis.
I've said, like, okay, so you'regonna be my mentor.
Guess what?
You didn't sign up for it, youdidn't ask, but I've hired you.
That's it.
So, you know, you're usingeverything at your disposal.
So I I like live for the hustle.
That's my jam.
This is why I still am obsessedwith you.
(15:35):
Exactly.
Because that's the thing.
SPEAKER_01 (15:36):
Like, you knew you and I felt lost because I had
the economics problems, I feltso lost being like in this
science school.
I felt like so lost.
And then I would see the otherstudents felt so lost with the
things I already did and wereeasy for me.
I'm like, Professor, I need you.
Like, I don't, I don't know howyou to how to do a mood.
Like, I was so like, what am Isupposed to do?
(15:57):
Like, what is this?
Yeah.
And that's how it started.
I remember launching in South ofFifth.
I remember in a club.
It was the first fashion show.
I was in a club.
I was in a club.
I remember like it seemed likeyesterday, but a lot has been
going on after.
And that's how it started.
It's now that I see it, I'mlike, wow, what were you doing?
(16:17):
Like a fashion show?
Like it's like like so many, youknow, everything has changed.
Now, you know, you dopresentations, you show one by
one.
It's like so different.
But the moment is what I knew,and it worked out.
And I remember when I started, Igot a showroom in New York.
Her name is Rita Overset.
She was amazing.
She also had her own brand withthe family, like a handback
(16:38):
brand.
So she guided me.
And I started with her.
And when we were there, thebuyers started to come in,
ordering.
And that's how the team ofPatricia Field from Six in the
City got there.
And they pick up of some of thebags and they for the second
movie.
And they were there.
And I was like, at that time, Ididn't have an atelier.
I didn't have, I just had likean outsource workshop working
(17:00):
for us.
And then at that time I had tolike run to find my own
production.
Someone make the damn bags.
But so in theory, everything isso different.
And then in practice, it's likejust take a plane and like you
know, like with those samples,just go and figure it out and
and and look for production.
That's how we started our ownlittle workshop in Barranquilla.
It was it was because we neededit, it was like forced too.
(17:22):
And that's how it all started.
And I I just knew Colombia wasthe you know, was the country
where to start.
There were my roots.
And then with time, we startedalso working not only with
Colombian artisans, but also,you know, like from Spain as
well, from Italy.
So kind of, you know, findingthat same ethic in any in other
countries, right?
(17:43):
So kind of it all started.
SPEAKER_00 (17:46):
It's crazy though, isn't it?
But now just a question becauseyour bags have always been on
the luxe side.
Did you find that your pricepoint hindered your growth?
Or you dug your heels in andsaid, This is who I am, it
doesn't matter.
(18:07):
You know, they're gonna have tofollow me because there's a lot
of a lot of designers, a lot ofnew designers who don't
understand pricing.
And because they don't haveorders against their bags or
don't understand the laws, thebasic laws of economies of
scale, you know, the more youproduce, the less your goods
(18:29):
cost, that they assume that theonly way they can do this is by
charging upwards of seven toeight hundred a bag when the
materials may or not be worthit.
But that's what the only waythey can make money is to charge
that price point.
And by doing basic competitiveanalysis, like who do I hang
(18:54):
with or sit with as the buyersask?
You learn, like, oh damn, likeI'm an unknown brand.
Maybe my bags do cost too much,or maybe my bags cost this, but
I'm I'm sticking to it.
Like, how did you handle that?
Because there's a lot of prosand cons and challenges that
come with the fundamentals ofpricing when you're a new brand
(19:15):
and have orders, but don't havesales against it, or the other
way around.
SPEAKER_01 (19:21):
I remember your book was a lot of help at that time.
Like the Hamper designed in 101.
I remember like I had twoversions, one that I highlighted
and one that I wanted to keep.
Oh my god.
So I think you as a creator, yousometimes you feel connected to
a piece, you know, that maybe itdoesn't make sense to a buyer or
(19:45):
the market.
But I think you have to createthat hybrid momentum when you
are making a collection.
So I think you do now that I goback, maybe at the moment I
didn't know a lot about thefundamentals of pricing.
I know the basics.
And then maybe I was not making,you know, like enough for like
margin for a product.
(20:05):
But then kind of in in the way,like there was like a hybrid mix
to it, you know, like sometimesyou are losing in one, but
you're you feel it's you and youwant it there and you don't want
to ruin the whole curve, youknow, for pricing or for like
the category where you're at thestore.
And I think I had to like we hadto play with it.
But I do think the mostimportant to have that clear
(20:27):
before starting.
Like I think it that processcould save you a lot of money
and a lot of time to have thosefundamentals of pricing like
really clear and knowing, youknow, I'm a creator.
Try to find the best way to havesomething, you know, like you
feel it's your brand, but don'tforget about the customer and
what they're willing to pay forit.
Like you have to be morerealistic.
(20:49):
Sometimes we as creators,sometimes we we are in the
clouds.
So you we need that, you know,that financial kind of comeback,
you know, like that person thatcould guide you, you know, like
two combines, like you, like youhave the creativity, but you are
down to earth, like and you knowbusiness, you know.
(21:09):
So that's like the the perfectmix, even to kind of apply that
to all the collections youdesign too.
You have to have that, you know,that dream there, but you have
to have the realistic approachto the market as well.
SPEAKER_00 (21:22):
It's really, really tricky.
I mean, just because I know yourbags are made with finer
materials, and I think, youknow, the good thing about being
Latin or Caribbean or orColombian or even being from
Miami is by culture, you have alot of people around you.
SPEAKER_01 (21:44):
Like it's you know what, Emily?
It's it's so crazy.
If you tell me who our customeris, it's not any of those.
It's it's it's crazy.
Like it's not like like it's notlike the Miami, it's not like
the Colombians, not the Latins.
I think we have learned in theway, like maybe at first, like
we we are designing for thatculture because we are
(22:07):
Colombians or we're Latins, butthen it's so beautiful the
process, like this connects withuh other markets, like totally
opposite of where you come from.
It's it's interesting.
SPEAKER_00 (22:19):
No, that's such a good segue, but to start, you
know, it it helps.
We're only yeah, we're only aswe're only and that's one of the
things like I I teach, like youknow, you have no brand if you
have no community, and that's soimportant.
You need to as someone who'screating something, you need to
(22:41):
create that community.
So I feel like not that youstarted at an advantage, but you
had an insta community purely asa result of it being you, right?
Yeah.
You have a look, you had yourepresent the aspirational
Adriana Castro customer.
By no means though, and this isone of the takeaways from having
(23:05):
done several incubators, that somany designers don't take the
time to do the the analytics ofof doing a deep dive of the zip
codes of their customers.
And when you do that, uh you'reable to see from a socioeconomic
(23:25):
level of where these people arecoming from.
And that's when you realize,hey, now, these aren't all
beautiful people from Miami.
This is someone from Chicago orEvanston or from Texas or
Louisiana or and because andI've told this story before, I
had one designer who wasgrossing a million, about a
(23:50):
million dollars, not net gross.
And when I was trying to helpher get acquired, my MA, my
mergers and acquisitions contactsaid, How many employees does
she have?
And all this ties into like thisbigger story.
And when I said, Oh, it's great,you know, there's one and a
half, she's got an assistant andshe's got half a part-time
(24:14):
person.
And he's like, Well, that's ared flag.
And I said, What do you meanthat's a red flag?
It's amazing, it's a much easierposition.
Like it's it's lean.
And he's like, No, because thenthe brand's all about her.
So I can't sell her brandbecause that's selling her.
(24:36):
And when the customers arebuying the product, it needs to
be about the bag, not about thecreator.
And the further away you getfrom the product and knowing it
can sell without you, becausethat's really what it is.
Because the person in tiny dotUSA, pardon my French, doesn't
give a shit that you're thisbeautiful girl from from
Columbia and lives in Miami.
SPEAKER_01 (24:59):
They don't even maybe know you.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (25:01):
Exactly.
Because the product needs tosell itself.
And I think that is a learningcurve process.
And, you know, the amount ofpop-ups and door to door, like
and meet the designers.
Like you could do those tillyou're blue in the face, and
that helps breed momentum andnoise, but that's not going to
be the consistent to keep yourproduct selling.
(25:22):
And I think that's what a lot ofpeople need to have to go
through that whole experience ofI'm a designer, I'm a creator,
my bags are$800 to get to thatpoint to realize, hey, now it's
not about me.
My bag needs to sell many, manytimes without me even being part
of the process.
SPEAKER_01 (25:40):
You know what really I enjoy when when I see someone
with my bag, you know, and likethey don't like, I'm there, they
don't even know, you know, howabout the bag?
And then I have this, if it thisis crazy.
I have this story with a friendwe met in an elevator.
She's also a designer from NewYork.
Her name is Kimberly Taylor, andwe met in an elevator.
(26:00):
Like I was wearing my bag, andshe she's in the elevator, and
she's like, Oh, I also own anAdriana Castor bag.
Like, that's what she said.
I'm like, hi, I'm Adriana.
It's like, oh, no way.
It was like that's like whereyou know you are doing things
right.
You know, like I know peoplelike, you know, like they can
say the brand needs the founder,you need to connect, you have to
(26:21):
be out there, the story.
But that's an example, like thatit really told me, you know,
something is you are doingsomething right.
And from then it's like a wholenew connection.
We're doing like collaborations,pop-ups in the hamps.
It's like crazy.
Like, and she didn't even knowwho I was.
She was buying right the bagfrom a store, and it was like
she's even promoting it to me,like, oh, I have this Arena
(26:41):
Castro bag.
I'm like, she doesn't know I'mI'm like, that's like thank your
universe.
SPEAKER_00 (26:46):
Yeah, it's it's those little moments though that
that keep you going becauselook, running a brand is one
thing, but being a designer,having to deal with, you know,
production, tariffs, accountspayable, accounts receivable,
like all that.
It's not sexy, it's not pretty,it's not cute.
(27:08):
You know, that makes 80% of yourbusiness is not the product.
It's all that other bullshit tokeep your product going.
SPEAKER_01 (27:16):
And even Emily, your life going because you still
have to pay bills, like besidesthe business, like you have to
take care, you know, of your ownbusiness, like your own personal
business.
So it's like you have like two,as you said, like two realities,
and it's not all cute.
You know, it's like a lot ofpressure and like in both ways
because you like you have tohave like both things covered.
SPEAKER_00 (27:37):
Right, right, right, right.
And it's it's very isolating andlonely, especially doing what we
do, doing what you do.
It is a very lonely, lonelyprocess.
And like having this need, andand I applaud the fact that your
brand is still going and youstill look exactly the same as
you did when I met you.
(27:59):
But it's a lot of evolution, andpeople don't seem to realize the
commitment that goes into doingthis because at one point maybe
it was a hobby, or maybe youthought it was a business, and
it may or may not have beenmaking money.
But 10 years later, the lens ofwhat you're looking, it's
different.
It's like, no way, it's thatsales.
My bags need to go.
(28:20):
Like, you know, it's not so muchabout like, what's the next
collection?
It's like, what are my numbers?
What's selling?
How can I capitalize on my herobag or my anchor product and
extend from that?
So I know that if 80% of mybusiness comes from 20% of my
customers, how can I keep this20% feeling like queens that
(28:41):
they get the special attentionso I can get them to come back
and buy again and again andagain?
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SPEAKER_01 (30:22):
And also besides that, it's like also
understanding what your body andyour soul and your mind can't
can deliver, you know?
So it's like doing that balance.
I think once you you have a fewyears in the industry, now you
understand.
You know, it's like it'snumbers, but at the same time,
what can you deliver?
You know, it's like like how howcan you balance that equation?
(30:43):
And that's I think I found itvery interesting.
And learning, you know, like notfeeling guilt if you are not
delivering X amount of styles ayear or a season, like just like
releasing that guilt and kind ofdo things more purposeful,
basically.
SPEAKER_00 (30:59):
Yeah, it definitely takes a lot to look at it from
because you know, you're taughtcommercially, we need to be
producing this many a season andthis, and we need to have new
product.
And you know, historically, whenwe were obsessed with getting
into these big, big retailers,because that when we were coming
up, that was that was the vibe.
(31:20):
That if they saw the sameproduct and you were trying to
get in the store again and youshowed them the same product, if
that same buyer was there, she'dbe like, I saw that already.
Why are you wasting my time?
SPEAKER_01 (31:30):
Emily, now you say that and it's so funny.
Like they are still or like theystill order the bags like from
10 years ago, and it's so funny.
Like, and now, like they seelike even not even because
they're not in the website.
I think they go throughPinterest or they go through,
you know, like Google archivesor something.
Like, you still make this?
I'm like, it's it's so it'sbeautiful to have created some
(31:53):
pieces, like no matter theyears, they're timeless, and
people still value, you know,like that style.
So that's very interesting.
It's like they want new product,but then like now it's like, no,
no, can we just repeat the samestyle?
Can we get that one back?
So it's it's nice, you know,it's like a learning experience,
you know.
Like sometimes we're so focusedon delivering, delivering new,
new, new.
(32:13):
And sometimes you have magicalready there that just needs to
be re recreated.
And even in financial terms, itmakes sense because you're not
making new prototypes, you know,you aren't like there's a lot
behind to it.
So I think just releasing thatguild of recreating styles and
recreating some, you know, somearchives, that's I think I found
it really important in this partof the of the brand.
SPEAKER_00 (32:38):
But you know, to that point, it's funny because
what I created, this sectioncalled It Bag with New York now,
was purely as a result ofexactly what you're talking
about.
Because as independentdesigners, I hate the term
emerging, people know that it'slike pet peeve of mine.
Like if you've been doing it forfive years, you've emerged.
Like, like you know, like you'vegrown.
(32:59):
Like, what is there?
Like, I'm still an undercover.
But buyers and your customersknow you for a handful, maybe
three at most of your anchorpieces or your best-selling
bags.
So to feel like that pressureand guilt to I need to
constantly reinvent the wheel.
No, you don't.
You don't.
(33:20):
You redo much like themotorcycle bag or the city bag
about Ciaga, you keep putting itout, change the material, change
the shape slightly.
But if that's what your customerbase wants, then that's what you
should give them.
SPEAKER_01 (33:35):
So you love it too.
Like, if you still love it, likewhy just like because it's you
can't disappear.
It's like I don't, it's likebeing like, you know, it's like
I don't know, it's like losinglike a little of soul.
Like, okay, like it's like inSpanish it's como desechable,
like something that is like onedate gone, you know, like right,
right.
SPEAKER_00 (33:55):
Like if you love those pair of jeans, you're
gonna keep wearing them over andover and over again.
And for whatever you keep mightbe might buy new pairs of jeans,
you're always gonna go back tothis one pair because of how it
makes you feel.
So why not keep putting out thesame product and an iteration of
that to keep that 20% happy thanto feel that pressure and
(34:17):
expense, like to create newproduct?
It's expensive.
Not only, you know, the samplingdoesn't matter who you are, you
still have to pay for sampling.
Then it comes in, then it's notright, then you have to do the
test drive, just like anythingelse.
What's wrong?
And the sell-in, it's like acustomer acquisition cost
because then you need to tellyour customers, like, hey there,
(34:38):
I got a new bag, and they'relike, but I'm happy with this
one.
Why?
Why?
SPEAKER_01 (34:43):
Just why?
I'm gonna share like a littlestory that was kind of related
to what we're talking about.
So, like Insects in the CD2,okay, Sar Jessica Parker, Curry,
like it's called the Eva clutch,right?
And that that was done, and thenfast forward, and just like
that, you know, I'm watching,and I remember my dad passed
away January 3rd, and I rememberhis mask was January 6th.
(35:05):
I go back home, I put on the TV,and then she walks in with like
an empty, I remember, emptywhite um apartment she was gonna
move after Big passed away, andthen she's carrying the same bag
in and just like that, andimagine how many years passed.
(35:27):
I didn't know that that's not acustomer, that's her.
And I'm like, what's this?
Is this like data signal?
Like I have to keep going,creating timeless pieces.
And then I was kind of curioushow did that happen?
You know, it's because I therewas no stylist reaching out.
No, and Patricia Field wasn'tpart of it.
No, nothing.
And then I asked, and then itwas like she had it like from
(35:49):
her archives, it was hers.
She brought it to the set, andI'm like, she's not my customer,
she doesn't even like, I'm nother friend.
Like, she doesn't know who I am.
She doesn't know.
I remember I met her at thepremiere, but I'm sure she
doesn't remember at all who Iam.
But she carried the bag, shebrought it to the set, and it
was again and just like that.
And I'm like, how'd you findout?
(36:09):
No, so like I went in to throughInstagram and I said, like, I
just want to know, like, how no.
She brought it to the set.
That's part of her archive.
Like, that's because she Iremember when the Sex in the
City 2 happened, we were askedif we wanted to gift her one of
the pieces she liked.
And she liked that one.
I'm like, yes, you know what?
She likes she she likes it, sheshe wants it.
(36:30):
Like, let her have it.
Bye con Dios, enjoy.
But I didn't know, you know, shekept it all these years.
You know how you see all theseinfluencers everything like
selling their closets and it'spart of the new energy, but I
was so happy she kept it, andnot only that, she brought it to
the set, and she was in one ofthe episodes.
I'm like, wow, like so.
That's what you said.
(36:51):
It's like even her, she's not acustomer, she's kind of
confirming the theory we'retalking about.
It's like there's somecircumstances if like the
change.
Like when I see a previouspieces, maybe what I feel for
them now it's different.
Like things change, energieschange.
So, like, you know, it's likesometimes now I want like those
pieces back and I wear them.
(37:11):
I'm like, wow, they feel so newagain.
SPEAKER_00 (37:13):
Very, very, very like what was I thinking?
I know.
SPEAKER_01 (37:16):
So that was a story, it really like kind of
confirmed, you know, liketimeless, then you could create
timeless pieces, you could donoble materials again, like the
adopt with love.
If you have something, you know,like you don't feel now, like
why not, you know, your friendor someone you know adopt that
bag, but you promise to lovethat bag forever.
Like you are like givingsomething special to that
(37:36):
person.
So it was very, you know, it waskind of reaffirming that after I
saw Sarazica Parker so manyyears.
I think it was 10 years after,like 12, yeah, right?
SPEAKER_00 (37:47):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Wow, wow.
So you're part of iconic historytwice.
That's I remember because Iremember talking to Carlos Fauci
about your bag because he wasone of the judges.
And, you know, he had a lot offeelings being Brazilian and
seeing he's like, she's veryinspired.
(38:07):
And I'm like, she's not inspiredby you.
I can tell you that.
Like you are inspirational, butshe's from Colombia.
Like, she's got her own thinggoing on.
And I said, you know, thebeautiful thing about being care
uh from the Caribbean and beingSouth American, and like you
said, this very clean palette,much like what you're wearing in
your very clean walls and lightfixtures, which I'm like, oh my
(38:30):
God, there's no fingerprints allover them.
I it's it's one of those thingsthat it would make sense that
the same thing that wouldinfluence him would influence
you.
Because the culturalcharacteristics are the same.
And this yearn for color andcreativity in this very clean
palette for those who can will,and you are just one of those
(38:55):
people.
SPEAKER_01 (38:56):
So I will like honestly, he was uh like I
really admire him, and I justfound so magical his story, like
like you know, like all hisbackground and and like it would
I really admire him, and youknow, it was like I also met him
through you.
And so yeah, so I'm sorry, hewas also he created a legacy,
and now I know I was trying toget in contact with his brother
(39:19):
in New York because I I had thatlittle commitment, you know, to
say, you know, I really lovewhat your father did, and I know
they're doing now handbacks madeby the brother.
So for some reason, I was like,all those stories they still are
in my heart, and I try toconnect, you know, when things,
you know, it's it's weird.
I I saw he was still creating,I'm like, wow, he's still alive.
And that for me, that was likevery I know it was a happy
(39:41):
moment to feel like he's stillalive.
SPEAKER_00 (39:43):
Yeah, yeah.
Oh my gosh, Adrianola, thank youso much for joining us.
SPEAKER_01 (39:48):
It was like a very happy Friday.
Like you made my day.
Oh, you know, like I I loveremembering, you know, like old
times and and just uh confirmmyself why I'm doing this, and
it's like it's motivation aswell for me.
And I hope for other creatorsand all your students.
I hope one day I can attend yourclass.
SPEAKER_00 (40:06):
Oh my god, I'm gonna have you as a guest speaker next
uh next next semester.
You're gonna be one of my guestspeakers.
I can't wait.
Adriana, how can we find you,follow you and buy your
beautiful product?
SPEAKER_01 (40:18):
So the website's adrianacastro.co, and then you
can follow us on Instagram atAdriana Castro as well.
And I love you know being incontact, like real contact.
So like don't like write myname.
I want I want to really likeconnect with you, and and I hope
this is just like a littlewindow to connect with your
followers as well.
SPEAKER_00 (40:37):
Oh my goodness.
Well, and for those people whoaren't as cool, it's Adriana
with one N, not you.
And Castro Colombia, notColombia, right?
Oh my god, please.
Yeah, with it's no, not a you.
Wake up.
Oh my goodness.
Thank you, thank you.
Like I won another award fromHandley's under 101.
Oh my gosh.
Well, the handbag awards andmyself, thank you.
(41:00):
Thank you so much.
Thanks for listening.
Don't forget to rate and reviewand follow us on every single
platform at handbag designer.
Thanks so much.
See you next time.
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