Wayfaring Threads: A Look Inside the Journey of a Mexican Embroidered Handbag

Have you ever wondered how many hands a Mexican embroidered handbag like our popular Otomi Clutch goes through before it reaches your door step? Take a moment to visualize the fact that the one-of-a-kind purse you just ordered began its journey in a tiny little hidden corner of Mexico. The beautiful pattern is traditional Mexican embroidery that was taught to the artisan by her mother or grandmother, who was taught by her mother or grandmother, and so on for generations!

Believe it or not, the creation process for an Erica Maree product like the Otomi Clutch takes around 2 months total from start to finish. Wondering what takes so long? The first step for each individual piece of fabric is to trace and outline a pattern onto the traditional Mexican textile. Step two involves millions of tiny little holes being poked while the artisan slowly creates a beautiful end result like what you see below. Each one of our artisans uses the threads and colors she wants, which results in beautiful one-of-a-kind pieces of fabric!

Once the artisan is finished and happy with her work, the final embroidered piece of fabric then embarks on the next part of its journey: to the Erica Maree studio! Here, it’s created into the final product. We cut it, shape it, sew it, and add details like pompoms and high quality zippers.

And voila! There you have it: one-of-a-kind handmade Mexican embroidered handbag that encompasses a culture that has transcended generations in order to reach you!

Here at the Erica Maree studio, which doubles as a bohemian fashion and accessory shop in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, we believe in the value of supporting artisans whose handicrafts have been passed down for generations. Each one of our pieces is created by hand with heart and soul, and provides fair labor wages for artisans in order to keep the magic of traditional Mexican hand embroidery alive.

As always, thanks for shopping handmade!