Manufacturing in Colorful Handbags in Morocco with Karima Bidar of Isli Studio

Handbag Designer 101: The Stories Behind Handbag Designers, Brands, and Industry Icons

Is there a deeper story behind the handbags you adore? We have the privilege of talking with Karima Bidar of Isli Studio, the dual-homed handbag designer from France and Morocco, in this episode. Her tale weaves together a tapestry of skilled craftsmanship in Morocco and the intricate artistry of handbag design. Karima reveals how her unique dual-identity influences her work and the significance of her personal relationships with the artisans she collaborates with. Prepare to navigate the triumphs and trials she encountered as an industry pioneer, her dedicated investment in Moroccan craftsmanship, and her unwavering commitment to her home country.

Our exploration doesn't stop there. We uncover the highs and lows of producing handbags in Morocco and grasp the importance of clear vision and understanding the production process in working with international factories. We also dive into the challenges many designers face due to a lack of proper guidance and resources. Finally, we delve into Morocco's leather production industry, as Karima shares her vision to bring about significant changes. If you're an aspiring designer or a curious handbag enthusiast, this engaging conversation is a treasure trove of valuable insights. Tune in and get ready to view your beloved handbag in a whole new light.



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2024-09-17 31 min Transcript 3 chapters

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WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Hi and welcome to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast with your host, emily Boomenthal, 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.

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome Karima Bidar of easily to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast, so happy to have you, thank you.

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<v Speaker 2>Emily for having me in your podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>He, he, he.

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<v Speaker 1>So where are you located, karima?

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<v Speaker 2>I'm actually in Paris, so I'm living between Paris and Tazeblanka.

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<v Speaker 1>Wow, yeah, I did not know.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh right, because your bags are made of Morocco.

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<v Speaker 1>I knew that.

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't know that you lived, you know?

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<v Speaker 1>Does that make you bicoastal?

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<v Speaker 1>From French terms.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, I'm usually in Tazeblanka from July to beginning of September, and when I have the time I can go in Tazeblanka in January.

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<v Speaker 2>It's like two times a year, so I'm quite between two continents.

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<v Speaker 1>That's crazy.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you have two passports?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, I have my American ID, actually, and my French passport.

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<v Speaker 1>So just to explain a little bit about history, what is the connection between France and Morocco?

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<v Speaker 1>Just for people who don't know, because there are definitely people who don't.

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<v Speaker 2>So my own connection all the connection that we know at first, france, it's not that far away from Morocco, there's like Spain between us and a little bit of sea like terbrace In two letters.

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<v Speaker 2>So my parents was born in between Marrakech, for my father and my mom in Tazeblanka.

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<v Speaker 2>So they met together in France.

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<v Speaker 2>So that's why I'm here today.

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<v Speaker 1>But does France and Morocco still have a historical connection?

00:02:06.641 --> 00:02:16.889
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, they are like the French people used to be in Morocco like many years ago, so we have like kind of history between us.

00:02:17.900 --> 00:02:19.768
<v Speaker 1>Did France colonize Morocco?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, France colonized, but like a protectorate, we said in France, it's like they was here to protect us from something.

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<v Speaker 2>So 20 years or 30 years, I don't want to make you say it incorrectly.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I know that the king of Morocco during World War II protected the Jews.

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<v Speaker 1>That I do know.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, yeah, that is something incredible, yeah he said he don't have a Jew, but he has Moroccan people.

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<v Speaker 1>So yeah, which is amazing, yeah, yeah, so do Moroccans have to go through legal stuff to live in France?

00:02:55.991 --> 00:03:02.768
<v Speaker 1>Or because there's a protector, you have a connection like it's apparently, like I mean the protectorate is fine now.

00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:06.110
<v Speaker 2>Now it's like a king of Morocco.

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<v Speaker 2>We have a king and I can't go whenever I want, but my parents used to was born there, so I had the double nationality Right.

00:03:17.990 --> 00:03:23.155
<v Speaker 2>We can have this in France, so we can have like two nationalities.

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<v Speaker 2>So now I'm Moroccan and French, so that's why I'm going to.

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<v Speaker 1>Morocco.

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<v Speaker 1>So is your family okay after what happened?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah we are okay.

00:03:33.484 --> 00:03:37.207
<v Speaker 2>My mom was there during the earthquake.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh wow, it's not easy.

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<v Speaker 2>It's really horrible what's going on actually, but I hope everything would be fine.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it's a God's year, so do I.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, it's a good thing that you manufacture there, so at least you know I don't like saying at least, because that minimizes what you do and it minimizes the whole process, but it's a good thing.

00:04:01.808 --> 00:04:22.872
<v Speaker 1>There are people like you who prioritize manufacturing not only in Morocco but in your mother country, because I think there's a lot of designers that are not from the country they live in, and it should never be forgotten that there's always an opportunity, number one, to give back in the country from where you were born or your family comes.

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<v Speaker 1>But, number two, there's always a way to.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, it's difficult being a pioneer in anything, because it's super costly to be the first, you know, but it's an opportunity to create production in a way that at least the people with whom you work would be vested to doing a good job.

00:04:42.033 --> 00:04:53.987
<v Speaker 1>To work with you, because you're providing jobs, you're providing trade, you're providing something theoretically that they've been doing, and now there's a way to go beyond just something a local audience Sometimes.

00:04:54.249 --> 00:04:58.572
<v Speaker 2>I have people that ask me why are you producing in Morocco?

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<v Speaker 2>You can't produce in Spain?

00:05:00.370 --> 00:05:06.894
<v Speaker 2>Because there is like a special place in Spain that you can produce a brick you brick.

00:05:06.894 --> 00:05:12.305
<v Speaker 2>It's in the Andalusia and there's like many, many brands there.

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<v Speaker 2>And they told me why?

00:05:13.649 --> 00:05:15.814
<v Speaker 2>Because you can do a many bags.

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<v Speaker 2>And every time I'm saying that I have a relation with Morocco, this is the ADN of my brand.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's normal for me to work with craftsmanship there.

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<v Speaker 2>Craftsmanship, like we said in French, and artisans, yeah, they're craftisans and they have like a specialty in handbags.

00:05:42.427 --> 00:05:49.415
<v Speaker 2>They know how to use the leather rod, how to make a form, everything about the leather.

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<v Speaker 2>They are super professional about this.

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<v Speaker 2>So for me, it was normal for me to ask someone to help me to find someone, but an artisan to work with me for this project.

00:06:01.071 --> 00:06:03.968
<v Speaker 2>And the difficulty, right, my project.

00:06:03.968 --> 00:06:15.730
<v Speaker 2>I'm not like Gilder, a brand they are producing maybe one collection with two models and each model is like 100, you know, it's not like this for me.

00:06:15.730 --> 00:06:16.487
<v Speaker 2>They could do it.

00:06:16.487 --> 00:06:20.430
<v Speaker 2>Yes, I'm doing like one color they could do short they can.

00:06:20.971 --> 00:06:22.932
<v Speaker 1>Sorry they could do short runs of production.

00:06:22.932 --> 00:06:23.908
<v Speaker 1>No, I know we keep.

00:06:23.908 --> 00:06:27.312
<v Speaker 1>I'm so sorry for interrupting, but they can do short run productions.

00:06:27.685 --> 00:06:35.434
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, small production and that's why I'm really happy to go and be somewhere, because it's like a relation.

00:06:35.434 --> 00:06:41.350
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's like I am the brand owner and I have only my artisans.

00:06:41.350 --> 00:06:45.228
<v Speaker 2>There's like really a relation how to work, how we can do.

00:06:45.228 --> 00:06:59.153
<v Speaker 2>When I explain my brand here in France for a society or for some company that they are interested for my brand, every time I say we, not my.

00:06:59.153 --> 00:07:11.995
<v Speaker 2>You know Exactly, we are all together working on something unique and that's why I want to work with artisan, because with artisan I can make each bag unique.

00:07:11.995 --> 00:07:24.776
<v Speaker 2>So I don't have one model, I have many models and each model is unique and that's why I am really happy to have this opportunity to work with this kind of artisan.

00:07:24.776 --> 00:07:30.975
<v Speaker 2>It's difficult but it's really nice because there's like a big process inside.

00:07:31.444 --> 00:07:33.713
<v Speaker 1>Are the artisans that you're working with?

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<v Speaker 1>Is it in a factory or are they local crafts people?

00:07:37.345 --> 00:07:38.668
<v Speaker 2>They own a factory.

00:07:38.668 --> 00:07:48.908
<v Speaker 2>It's like a small factory and there they are like two or three and they're four cable post clients inside of Morocco, the net-heap one.

00:07:48.908 --> 00:07:59.615
<v Speaker 2>So it's nice because with me they can make like 50 pieces, 10 pieces, they're like sometimes 100, but it's not that much.

00:07:59.615 --> 00:08:02.653
<v Speaker 2>So it's nice for me to work in this way.

00:08:02.653 --> 00:08:09.033
<v Speaker 2>I don't know how many times I can work this way, but I take a pleasure to do this with them.

00:08:09.524 --> 00:08:10.507
<v Speaker 1>Are you able?

00:08:10.507 --> 00:08:17.288
<v Speaker 1>Because, obviously, when you lack economies of scale, the more you produce, the less it costs.

00:08:17.288 --> 00:08:24.247
<v Speaker 1>For anyone listening, it's like going to Costco, one of those places where you can buy everything in bulk.

00:08:24.247 --> 00:08:30.971
<v Speaker 1>When you look at the unit price there's usually when you buy things there's two prices there's the unit price and the actual price.

00:08:30.971 --> 00:08:33.751
<v Speaker 1>The unit price will say how much it really costs per item.

00:08:33.751 --> 00:08:42.118
<v Speaker 1>If we go to the CVS here or one of those local boots or something like that, it'll say the unit price.

00:08:42.524 --> 00:09:02.730
<v Speaker 1>If you're buying there, usually the unit price is really really high because you're buying just one as opposed to a Costco I can't even think of what the French version is of one of those giant places where you go and there's no, there's no, yeah, but the unit price is really low In terms of economies of scale for these factories.

00:09:02.730 --> 00:09:10.734
<v Speaker 1>Your end customer will be paying essentially for the fact that you're not producing a lot of units.

00:09:10.734 --> 00:09:23.847
<v Speaker 1>So do you think perhaps you're streamlining and coming up with an anchor piece, one limited bag, that you can keep doing the same iteration over and over might make things easier for you and for them?

00:09:23.847 --> 00:09:28.354
<v Speaker 1>Do you think there's an opportunity for other people to manufacture in Morocco?

00:09:28.875 --> 00:09:30.265
<v Speaker 2>Yes, of course.

00:09:30.667 --> 00:09:50.975
<v Speaker 2>Next week I will start a year where there is people that can help you to see how you can have this kind of strategy, like a small collection, unique bags, and then you can open your brand with two collections, with many units.

00:09:52.445 --> 00:09:59.573
<v Speaker 2>So with the Institut Français de la Mode I don't know if you know it, it's like a fashion institute in Paris.

00:09:59.573 --> 00:10:22.211
<v Speaker 2>They are going to help me during one year to see how I can let my strategy of tuning bags, but maybe like in the brush of my brand and the other side of the brand will be like we can produce many, many, many bags, but maybe one model or two models that they are working very well.

00:10:22.211 --> 00:10:39.437
<v Speaker 2>So I can, right, right, so I can have a small collection with my Aftizon and the other one will do it with a factory, but also in Morocco, but the factory that they can make a lot of, lot of bags with one model, with two colors.

00:10:39.437 --> 00:10:48.333
<v Speaker 2>That's why, for this reason, so yes, you can so many people can come in Morocco and work with us.

00:10:48.333 --> 00:10:49.957
<v Speaker 2>So it's easy.

00:10:49.957 --> 00:10:55.868
<v Speaker 2>It's easy and not easy because, right, right, right, because good Aftizon.

00:10:55.868 --> 00:11:03.893
<v Speaker 2>It's super hard because it depends on many, many things of your model, of your leather, many, many things.

00:11:04.024 --> 00:11:19.139
<v Speaker 1>So yes, yes, definitely yes, it's so interesting because working with so many designers obviously the biggest thing once you have your brand in order, which is a whole other conversation.

00:11:19.139 --> 00:11:43.201
<v Speaker 1>But the production aspect is where most designers choke, you know, they don't know what to do, where to go, and then they're left with this wide open space of like, nah Right, they get their samples done locally, domestically, which is always really expensive because obviously you know, making samples unfortunately in New York is super expensive.

00:11:43.201 --> 00:11:45.417
<v Speaker 1>Making doing production in LA is cheaper.

00:11:45.417 --> 00:11:48.918
<v Speaker 1>Then LA gets too expensive and then you're forced to go overseas.

00:11:48.918 --> 00:11:58.394
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, so I know one of the designers through the awards is now working with the factory, with her local country of Romania, so there's production there.

00:11:58.394 --> 00:12:16.782
<v Speaker 1>So, and now one of the designers we spoke to who's from Turkey, he's got production there and now to hear that there's another opportunity to potentially produce in Morocco, it's really exciting because it's not a shortage of places to produce your bags.

00:12:16.782 --> 00:12:20.519
<v Speaker 1>There's a shortage of knowledge, knowing that you can, right.

00:12:20.519 --> 00:12:28.020
<v Speaker 1>So I think that's a huge opportunity for you and obviously at the end of this we'll have you give your information so people could get in touch with you.

00:12:28.020 --> 00:12:46.575
<v Speaker 1>But I think it's a great opportunity to streamline, you know to come up with a way or a template to say if you want to produce, these are the things that you need, this is what you need to have in order, because that's also a learning curve of figuring out what you need to be ready right To go into production.

00:12:46.750 --> 00:12:55.159
<v Speaker 1>And one of the designers who I just spoke to you know she did a first round sample with the factory and she was saying it didn't come out how she wanted.

00:12:55.159 --> 00:12:56.534
<v Speaker 1>And I said well, you know.

00:12:56.534 --> 00:13:09.118
<v Speaker 1>So there's Idea that with the sample request you actually need to have pictures of what you want from other brands, and I know a lot of designers feel that that's copying.

00:13:09.118 --> 00:13:14.921
<v Speaker 1>But it's not so much copying as you want to make sure that the factory, who's doing your work, knows what to do.

00:13:14.921 --> 00:13:29.360
<v Speaker 1>And unless you have visuals, like literally taking a screenshot from somebody else's brand, from I'm not saying copying, but like I want the top stitch from there, I want the handle, like this button, this color, but I want it wider.

00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:33.835
<v Speaker 1>So without those visuals you'll never get the bag you want, you'll never get anything you want.

00:13:33.835 --> 00:13:35.434
<v Speaker 1>So you need to give that direction.

00:13:35.434 --> 00:13:36.096
<v Speaker 1>Yeah.

00:13:36.549 --> 00:13:39.580
<v Speaker 2>But the thing that it's very cool, there is like factories.

00:13:39.580 --> 00:13:46.474
<v Speaker 2>I visit some factories but they have like a showroom with many that they produce inside of the factory.

00:13:46.474 --> 00:13:55.991
<v Speaker 2>So I mean, if someone want to start a brand thing, they can see, they can touch, they can see.

00:13:55.991 --> 00:14:03.599
<v Speaker 2>If that's what I mean for the finishing all the things, so yeah, is this in Casablanca or Marrakech.

00:14:03.599 --> 00:14:07.035
<v Speaker 2>Casablanca.

00:14:07.035 --> 00:14:10.481
<v Speaker 2>I have some contacts in Casablanca and some in Marrakech.

00:14:11.182 --> 00:14:24.899
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, but yours are in Casablanca, yeah, mine is in Casablanca, yeah, wow, I mean honestly, of course I want to know your journey and your story, but this is so interesting to know that this is something.

00:14:24.899 --> 00:14:30.663
<v Speaker 1>And just to dive right in and go back, so you were born in Morocco?

00:14:30.663 --> 00:14:33.115
<v Speaker 1>No, I was born in France.

00:14:33.315 --> 00:14:35.900
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, in Narca, what's East yeah.

00:14:37.470 --> 00:14:41.491
<v Speaker 1>If you ever wanted to start a handbag brand and you didn't know where to start, this is for you.

00:14:41.491 --> 00:14:47.380
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00:14:47.380 --> 00:14:52.020
<v Speaker 1>If you have a handbag brand and need strategy and direction, this is for you.

00:14:52.020 --> 00:15:00.636
<v Speaker 1>I'm Emily Blumenthal, handbag designer expert and handbag fairy godmother, and this is the handbag designer 101 masterclass.

00:15:00.636 --> 00:15:17.149
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00:15:17.712 --> 00:15:28.315
<v Speaker 1>For the past 20 years, I've been teaching at the top fashion universities in New York City, wrote the handbag designer Bible, founded the handbag awards and created the only handbag designer podcast.

00:15:28.315 --> 00:15:34.937
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00:15:34.937 --> 00:15:45.057
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00:15:45.057 --> 00:15:48.918
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00:15:48.918 --> 00:15:53.279
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00:15:53.279 --> 00:16:05.317
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00:16:05.317 --> 00:16:12.058
<v Speaker 1>So when you go to Morocco, do you only speak French?

00:16:12.058 --> 00:16:13.052
<v Speaker 1>Oh?

00:16:13.432 --> 00:16:18.195
<v Speaker 2>you know, the American people speak French too, so we were speaking French.

00:16:18.195 --> 00:16:22.630
<v Speaker 2>You know, with my afterthought, I speak French and Arabic, so it's nice.

00:16:22.630 --> 00:16:28.043
<v Speaker 2>Sometimes, you know, when I work, I share some picture on WhatsApp.

00:16:28.043 --> 00:16:30.216
<v Speaker 2>I'll leave him some audio.

00:16:30.216 --> 00:16:31.639
<v Speaker 2>So, yes, speak Arabic.

00:16:31.639 --> 00:16:33.052
<v Speaker 2>Yes, you can please.

00:16:33.052 --> 00:16:35.697
<v Speaker 2>Yes, yes, you know it's done.

00:16:35.697 --> 00:16:42.508
<v Speaker 2>Yes, don't worry, madam, carry my outfit.

00:16:42.508 --> 00:16:43.110
<v Speaker 2>So it's nice.

00:16:43.110 --> 00:16:44.136
<v Speaker 2>Oh my God, that's amazing.

00:16:47.274 --> 00:16:47.715
<v Speaker 2>Kind of.

00:16:47.715 --> 00:17:04.902
<v Speaker 2>You know, if you work with afterthought in Morocco, it's not because it's not like in Europe, it's frozen relation, you know, client to client, but here it's like more than like it is from my family, you know, yeah.

00:17:04.902 --> 00:17:09.877
<v Speaker 2>So we have like this shock in the few days ago.

00:17:09.877 --> 00:17:13.933
<v Speaker 2>I call him like right now, are you okay, your family?

00:17:13.933 --> 00:17:17.615
<v Speaker 2>It's like family, it's like I work like this.

00:17:17.615 --> 00:17:27.333
<v Speaker 2>But because when it's finally like family, the afterthought give his soul to your friends, Like you are living also Right.

00:17:27.955 --> 00:17:47.367
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it's one of those things too that I think, especially in this day and age of social media, where you know brands with fans, and showing the backstory, showing the how it's made, is showing you know, by the way, this is who made your bag, this is their story, this is the whole thing.

00:17:47.367 --> 00:17:56.242
<v Speaker 1>I mean, all that is great, but if your bag isn't beautiful, nice checks the box for being the right price and all that doesn't mean that much.

00:17:56.242 --> 00:18:04.000
<v Speaker 1>But you know you want to get into a little bit about how you got your start and you know your bags have gone through quite an evolution.

00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:13.023
<v Speaker 1>They're still beautiful and still have those amazing pops of color which I personally love, but your prices have gone from really, really expensive to much more.

00:18:13.023 --> 00:18:25.653
<v Speaker 1>On point to, you know, this is something I can afford now, because that's one of the cycles that a lot of most designers go through, where they realize because they're not producing a lot, their samples cost a lot, the production cost a lot.

00:18:25.653 --> 00:18:30.915
<v Speaker 1>Therefore, when they charge so they make some money, they cost a lot, yeah, like.

00:18:31.016 --> 00:18:39.262
<v Speaker 2>I said to the people like you see my bag, they're not like expensive that much, with all the story behind this brand.

00:18:39.262 --> 00:18:47.406
<v Speaker 2>I say to someone I want to create a brand, a handbag brand, with a democratic price.

00:18:47.406 --> 00:18:48.348
<v Speaker 2>Why?

00:18:48.348 --> 00:18:57.616
<v Speaker 2>Because I'm like he in Paris, all the people wearing the same bag from the mass, from Poland, from Sándor.

00:18:57.616 --> 00:19:10.959
<v Speaker 2>You know, it's not that they are producing in China, we know where they are producing and, like I said to my friend, they are working with me and say we should create a bag, cool bag.

00:19:10.959 --> 00:19:19.521
<v Speaker 2>Then they are going to give you a pep to your clothes during the day on the street with the democratic price.

00:19:19.521 --> 00:19:21.935
<v Speaker 2>You know, yeah, democratic price.

00:19:21.935 --> 00:19:32.288
<v Speaker 2>Yes, today it's not that much, but I want to beginning this brand with a democratic price, to say oh yeah, nice, it's cool, this brand.

00:19:32.288 --> 00:19:44.482
<v Speaker 2>And then I will, yes, I will have some success with people on the street and then I will open the other side of my brand where I will get more and lots.

00:19:45.454 --> 00:19:47.280
<v Speaker 1>So were you a designer?

00:19:47.280 --> 00:19:55.006
<v Speaker 1>Or you just stumbled on, like you were in Morocco, you know, over the summer, and like, hey, I found an artisan and hey, I didn't know they could make a bag?

00:19:55.006 --> 00:19:56.540
<v Speaker 1>Was it like that kind of story?

00:19:57.075 --> 00:20:04.977
<v Speaker 2>No, actually I'm a graphic designer, I'm teacher graphic design, I am designer too, so I design my own bags.

00:20:04.977 --> 00:20:17.815
<v Speaker 2>I come in Morocco with my prototype, with paper, with some volume, and I say to Tariq so can, tariq, what do you think about this bag, how we can produce it, how we can make it.

00:20:17.815 --> 00:20:32.470
<v Speaker 2>And also, I buy my leather here in France, in Paris, because we have, like you know, I have some tests in Casablanca and Marrakech, but the color wasn't that much.

00:20:32.470 --> 00:20:39.944
<v Speaker 2>I don't know how to write yes, right, yeah, right, popping, yeah, popping.

00:20:39.944 --> 00:20:45.184
<v Speaker 2>We don't have like a pink popping, we don't have all this pink, right, right, right.

00:20:45.486 --> 00:20:47.913
<v Speaker 2>I'm working with Glareza of the Zahar.

00:20:47.913 --> 00:20:53.749
<v Speaker 2>It's a place where you can find like a discarded premium material, right?

00:20:53.749 --> 00:20:58.383
<v Speaker 2>So then it's like you have a big leather, I think.

00:20:58.383 --> 00:21:01.273
<v Speaker 2>So in the middle of this leather we have like a wool.

00:21:01.273 --> 00:21:06.444
<v Speaker 2>You know it, right, just use this wool, and the other size is not using.

00:21:06.444 --> 00:21:18.327
<v Speaker 2>So I'm buying all of this leather and I'm working with this leather, and that's why it's for this reason it's unique, because sometimes you have one bag at the top of the bag.

00:21:18.327 --> 00:21:23.503
<v Speaker 2>It's with pink, but I can't do it in more pink because I have only one piece of pink.

00:21:23.503 --> 00:21:28.740
<v Speaker 2>You know, it's quite a quite so crazy to make every bag.

00:21:28.740 --> 00:21:36.940
<v Speaker 2>But yeah, I'm working with this glitter because, yes, I need, je besoin, je besoin, I need, like, je besoin de.

00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:49.332
<v Speaker 2>I need the color correct and right right right, in Morocco we have only gray, a gray black, you know, like really so there's.

00:21:49.673 --> 00:21:58.719
<v Speaker 1>There's a shortage or deficit of the ability to produce leather in colors, because nobody else needs them in colors, so therefore they're not pretty.

00:21:59.059 --> 00:22:07.990
<v Speaker 2>And you factoring it that way, yeah because actually, in fact, the city in Morocco, they are doing color by hand and feet.

00:22:07.990 --> 00:22:10.537
<v Speaker 2>So it's right, what to all color?

00:22:10.537 --> 00:22:13.762
<v Speaker 2>That's it right, right of this pink.

00:22:13.762 --> 00:22:21.123
<v Speaker 2>You know, right, right, right, by this color, here in France, from Italy up, they're all mean from Spain.

00:22:21.123 --> 00:22:22.306
<v Speaker 2>They are coming from Spain.

00:22:22.306 --> 00:22:25.478
<v Speaker 2>Right, we use only this color.

00:22:25.498 --> 00:22:29.684
<v Speaker 1>Deep, premium material wow, wow, that's interesting.

00:22:29.684 --> 00:22:43.744
<v Speaker 1>So do you think there is an opportunity for you in terms of having an impact with leather production in Morocco to have them start doing short runs of skins with bright colors?

00:22:43.744 --> 00:23:14.425
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, because I think, based on what you're saying and trying to help the country become more of a manufacturing hub, or at least that it is in a place that you can manufacture, that it would benefit them, if they're already producing the leather, to start learning how to die and I'm not a leather person but how to dye the skins in a way that's obviously non-toxic and as long as I'm doing it, because I think people would.

00:23:14.425 --> 00:23:22.278
<v Speaker 1>People will say, oh, you shouldn't do it at all like no, that is their money, that's their livelihood, that is what the families have done for generations.

00:23:22.278 --> 00:23:33.071
<v Speaker 1>So, and to teach them or say like hey, we have an opportunity to get people to actually produce here if we can do small runs of dying the skins.

00:23:33.071 --> 00:23:35.859
<v Speaker 1>Is that something that you're working on with them?

00:23:35.859 --> 00:23:41.144
<v Speaker 1>Because I think it's gonna obviously jack up your prices if you have to buy it, because you're buying it.

00:23:41.567 --> 00:23:44.579
<v Speaker 1>You said you're only getting the discarded skins of those colors.

00:23:44.579 --> 00:23:46.748
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean, that's amazing.

00:23:46.748 --> 00:23:55.342
<v Speaker 1>You should add that to your story because that is definitely, you know, from a 360 eco-friendly angle, that's pretty impressive.

00:23:55.342 --> 00:23:57.895
<v Speaker 1>So are you getting it at a discount?

00:23:57.895 --> 00:23:59.330
<v Speaker 1>Because they're the discarded leather?

00:23:59.412 --> 00:24:09.676
<v Speaker 2>So those colors, yeah, they are yes, they are actually discount, because we have like small pieces, we cannot write new centimeter because it's only for the flap and for the circle part.

00:24:09.917 --> 00:24:11.612
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, that's clever.

00:24:12.272 --> 00:24:13.856
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, all these leather.

00:24:13.856 --> 00:24:23.876
<v Speaker 2>They have like little things, they're wall, they're dusty and I'm taking this, all of this leather, and I'm doing some bag with it.

00:24:23.876 --> 00:24:24.700
<v Speaker 2>Do you have a bag?

00:24:24.700 --> 00:24:26.993
<v Speaker 2>Yes, I have a bag.

00:24:26.993 --> 00:24:28.357
<v Speaker 2>Do you want to see?

00:24:28.377 --> 00:24:32.919
<v Speaker 1>Yes, Okay, yes, one minute Okay.

00:24:36.690 --> 00:24:38.114
<v Speaker 2>I saw, that's okay.

00:24:38.114 --> 00:24:42.442
<v Speaker 2>So, like you see the corner, it's super pop.

00:24:42.442 --> 00:24:44.699
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I love them.

00:24:44.699 --> 00:24:47.250
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, with something we have the Rue Gruny.

00:24:47.250 --> 00:24:51.000
<v Speaker 2>You know, in French we said they're like you can see the skin.

00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:56.663
<v Speaker 2>They were right and sometimes we have like those one.

00:24:58.913 --> 00:24:59.998
<v Speaker 1>Oh, I love them.

00:24:59.998 --> 00:25:03.753
<v Speaker 1>They're so beautiful, yeah, that you can see the imperfections.

00:25:03.753 --> 00:25:06.080
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, yeah Right.

00:25:06.631 --> 00:25:09.201
<v Speaker 2>Well, yeah, it's so.

00:25:09.201 --> 00:25:16.690
<v Speaker 2>You see, I have three different bags, so that's why I'm really really playing with money after that.

00:25:17.090 --> 00:25:17.653
<v Speaker 1>Like totally.

00:25:17.653 --> 00:25:40.540
<v Speaker 1>I think that's amazing and I think you know, and I encourage all designers and brands to say that anything you're using is recycled or discarded or adding to that, that you make sure that you add that to your story, because your customers should know that that if they're buying something, there's a reason for an imperfection, so there's absolutely no waste.

00:25:40.540 --> 00:25:50.009
<v Speaker 1>And then it's, you know, giving back and you know like you see people wearing fur coats and they come after you and it's like no, this was somebody else's.

00:25:50.009 --> 00:25:53.368
<v Speaker 1>I am buying a vintage, recycled, like it's already there.

00:25:53.368 --> 00:26:02.439
<v Speaker 1>So as long as it's not going to be wasted, let me use it, so at least it goes somewhere, as opposed to ruining the environment and people can actually enjoy this beautiful bag.

00:26:02.439 --> 00:26:08.920
<v Speaker 1>And I'm giving a job to someone, helping feed a family, community, et cetera, and I think that's really important.

00:26:08.920 --> 00:26:16.069
<v Speaker 1>So where are you at and how are you able to let people know that you, you know, are developing these bags and where they're sold and so forth?

00:26:16.069 --> 00:26:17.250
<v Speaker 1>How are you doing that?

00:26:17.833 --> 00:26:25.789
<v Speaker 2>So I'm actually working a lot on Instagram, so it's helped me a lot to open my customer.

00:26:25.789 --> 00:26:32.942
<v Speaker 2>I mean, I start from France, so here in Instagram I can buy.

00:26:32.942 --> 00:26:36.031
<v Speaker 2>There is like Korean people from South Korea.

00:26:36.031 --> 00:26:39.541
<v Speaker 2>They are buying my bags from London, from everywhere.

00:26:39.541 --> 00:26:42.739
<v Speaker 2>So Instagram helped me a lot actually.

00:26:42.739 --> 00:26:48.442
<v Speaker 2>And also I can see sometimes on my website who is coming from where.

00:26:48.442 --> 00:26:57.395
<v Speaker 2>It's nice to see that I have my customer growing from everywhere and most of my clients also.

00:26:57.395 --> 00:27:05.423
<v Speaker 2>It's from France, but only for the jewelry, because I'm making also earrings and that's it.

00:27:05.423 --> 00:27:09.079
<v Speaker 2>So on my website and Instagram.

00:27:09.810 --> 00:27:17.699
<v Speaker 1>So what do you think is next for you in terms of next steps and what you want to do with your brand and your bags and so forth?

00:27:18.470 --> 00:27:33.573
<v Speaker 2>So my next step is to open with easily a home like I can make like furniture and all mural with in a miracle made with my EDM that we have with easily.

00:27:33.573 --> 00:27:36.201
<v Speaker 2>This is an in make carpet.

00:27:36.201 --> 00:27:37.634
<v Speaker 2>Many things about home.

00:27:38.931 --> 00:27:41.318
<v Speaker 1>So trying to turn this into a lifestyle brand.

00:27:41.318 --> 00:28:01.023
<v Speaker 1>I really think, though, that what you're saying about working with the artisans is a huge opportunity that our people able to follow up with you if they're interested in manufacturing in Morocco, and would you be able to help them or at least put them in touch with the right people?

00:28:01.626 --> 00:28:03.496
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, of course we help with.

00:28:03.496 --> 00:28:07.157
<v Speaker 2>I would be very happy to help.

00:28:07.178 --> 00:28:08.741
<v Speaker 1>Yes, yes, question.

00:28:08.741 --> 00:28:13.201
<v Speaker 1>I know, working in any other country there's always a language barrier.

00:28:13.201 --> 00:28:24.321
<v Speaker 1>Do the people that you work with do they understand in written English If it's written like via WhatsApp or that's not a problem, I think in British English.

00:28:24.422 --> 00:28:26.549
<v Speaker 2>It will be a little bit hard, but you can.

00:28:26.549 --> 00:28:38.878
<v Speaker 2>You have Google translate so you can translate to French and then you can exchange with them, like this Okay, harima, this has been amazing.

00:28:39.611 --> 00:28:43.622
<v Speaker 1>I'm so happy we were able to chat and learn a little bit more about easily.

00:28:43.622 --> 00:28:49.730
<v Speaker 1>How can people follow you and learn more and get in touch with you if they need to?

00:28:50.673 --> 00:28:59.499
<v Speaker 2>So you, the people, can follow me on Instagram with easilystudio or in my website, easilystudiocom.

00:29:01.094 --> 00:29:04.930
<v Speaker 1>So it's I-S-L-I studio, yeah, okay.

00:29:04.930 --> 00:29:06.450
<v Speaker 1>And what does easily stand for?

00:29:06.450 --> 00:29:09.936
<v Speaker 1>What is the origin of easily?

00:29:10.038 --> 00:29:13.614
<v Speaker 2>It's groom, groom, rumor groom G-R-O-O-N.

00:29:16.932 --> 00:29:20.686
<v Speaker 1>Groom, like of a wedding, like a bride, yeah, yeah In Berber.

00:29:20.686 --> 00:29:23.648
<v Speaker 1>Oh why, why that for a handbag?

00:29:23.648 --> 00:29:23.730
<v Speaker 1>Why?

00:29:24.673 --> 00:29:28.929
<v Speaker 2>Because this is when I start my brand.

00:29:28.929 --> 00:29:35.450
<v Speaker 2>I get married so with my husband, and his origin is from Berber, from South of Morocco.

00:29:35.450 --> 00:29:38.089
<v Speaker 2>So that's why we call easily.

00:29:38.089 --> 00:29:49.733
<v Speaker 2>It's like, yeah, easily, it's like the story of Romeo and Juliet, but in Morocco, in Morocco Is seriously.

00:29:50.115 --> 00:29:50.376
<v Speaker 1>What?

00:29:50.376 --> 00:29:53.176
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, I mean, I'm not joking.

00:29:53.176 --> 00:29:54.299
<v Speaker 1>Look at that.

00:29:54.299 --> 00:29:55.515
<v Speaker 1>No, I know you're not joking.

00:29:55.515 --> 00:29:56.994
<v Speaker 1>Wow, that's so interesting.

00:29:56.994 --> 00:30:10.861
<v Speaker 1>I definitely look at this on a history lesson and for those of people who don't know where's Morocco located In North of Africa, listen, I just want to make sure that this is a full 360 episode.

00:30:10.861 --> 00:30:12.255
<v Speaker 1>So you're in France.

00:30:12.255 --> 00:30:13.298
<v Speaker 1>You produce in Morocco.

00:30:13.298 --> 00:30:15.076
<v Speaker 1>Morocco is the north of Africa.

00:30:15.076 --> 00:30:26.630
<v Speaker 1>They speak French and Arabic and a whole mess of other languages there, and when I was in Morocco, I never, ever, seen more people command more languages so well.

00:30:26.630 --> 00:30:33.049
<v Speaker 1>The people I knew were like hustling and there to work and the kindest, warmest people I'd ever met.

00:30:33.049 --> 00:30:35.398
<v Speaker 1>So you are absolutely one of them.

00:30:35.398 --> 00:30:37.217
<v Speaker 1>So thank you, karima.

00:30:37.217 --> 00:30:45.269
<v Speaker 1>We will absolutely be following you and seeing what you're doing and if anybody's interested in learning more about producing in Morocco, follow up with Karima.

00:30:45.269 --> 00:30:46.808
<v Speaker 1>She's an absolute gem.

00:30:46.808 --> 00:30:49.624
<v Speaker 1>So thank you so much and we'll be following.

00:30:50.146 --> 00:30:52.857
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, thank you, I mean you've done much for young patients.

00:30:53.951 --> 00:30:54.755
<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening.

00:30:54.755 --> 00:31:00.141
<v Speaker 1>Don't forget to rate and review, and follow us on every single platform at Handbag Designer.

00:31:00.141 --> 00:31:01.002
<v Speaker 1>Thanks so much.

00:31:01.002 --> 00:31:02.030
<v Speaker 1>See you next time.