Two years ago next week will be our two year Texas anniversary!
And the week after that my two year blog-a-versary!
But this post isn’t about either of those things. It’s all
about a certain tooled leather purse & what this oh-so pretty handbag means
to me.
about a certain tooled leather purse & what this oh-so pretty handbag means
to me.
These past two years have felt like a lifetime, but in a good way. Patrick and I have planted roots in this city that we now call home and we aren’t going anywhere, anytime soon.
Two years ago though, we were living it up in Knoxville, Tennessee, also having the time of our lives! (Especially because a large amount of our college buddies stayed in K-town after school too! … It was like the party never ended!)
Anyway, Patrick and I lived in this fabulous loft in Downtown Knoxville, right in the heart of things. I miss that apartment SO much sometimes! We could walk right across our street to have a cocktail, a fancy dinner, & to shop.
Located roughly 40 feet from our old apartment was Patricia Nash’s flagship store! I used to walk past those windows on a daily basis, drooling over her gorgeous tooled leather purses.
Which brings me here today, two years later, styling one of Patricia’s pretty purses & interviewing her too!
Patricia Nash’s handbags are reminiscent of leather bags my
mom carried while I was growing up. I
also used to spot similar bags in her various antique stores back in
Memphis. Maybe this is why I’ve always
been drawn to Patricia Nash’s designs? I’m a sucker for anything vintage
inspired & the floral tooled details are just lovely.
mom carried while I was growing up. I
also used to spot similar bags in her various antique stores back in
Memphis. Maybe this is why I’ve always
been drawn to Patricia Nash’s designs? I’m a sucker for anything vintage
inspired & the floral tooled details are just lovely.
So when I asked Patricia Nash what originally inspired her
designs, the answer was a whole lot of fun:
designs, the answer was a whole lot of fun:
Patricia: “For over 20 years, I have directed the design
of handbags for all kinds of brands, different people. Over the years,
industry friends would frequently asked “why don’t you design your own brand’-
I have always had a love for vintage Italian bags and leather and collected
vintage bags from Europe for years BUT it wasn’t until I found a bag my mom had
in her closet for over 50 years, a gift from her Father In Law that i realized
that was it. If I could create a vintage inspired hand crafted artisan Italian
leather hand bag line at affordable prices would people buy it? It was so unique
and nostalgic of all generations, I went full force forward and never looked
back.”
of handbags for all kinds of brands, different people. Over the years,
industry friends would frequently asked “why don’t you design your own brand’-
I have always had a love for vintage Italian bags and leather and collected
vintage bags from Europe for years BUT it wasn’t until I found a bag my mom had
in her closet for over 50 years, a gift from her Father In Law that i realized
that was it. If I could create a vintage inspired hand crafted artisan Italian
leather hand bag line at affordable prices would people buy it? It was so unique
and nostalgic of all generations, I went full force forward and never looked
back.”
Patricia gets her inspiration from vintage
shops to hand bag dealers in London, Paris, Milan, Bologna, and of course, her
mother’s closet. With the majority of
her bags coming in classic timeless silhouettes, I was surprised to see a few
trendier pieces in her latest collection, such as bucket bags & cross body
saddle bags.
shops to hand bag dealers in London, Paris, Milan, Bologna, and of course, her
mother’s closet. With the majority of
her bags coming in classic timeless silhouettes, I was surprised to see a few
trendier pieces in her latest collection, such as bucket bags & cross body
saddle bags.
So I simply had to ask what she is
working on next and from what she said below, I’m so excited to see what’s to
come!
working on next and from what she said below, I’m so excited to see what’s to
come!
Patricia: More fringe,
but new bohemian tooling I have never done before , really old things like
medieval sunbursts and other tooling designs. And chain link leather
handbags from the Sixties!”
but new bohemian tooling I have never done before , really old things like
medieval sunbursts and other tooling designs. And chain link leather
handbags from the Sixties!”
The pretty brown shade of the Salerno Saddle Bag is called
Florence, after the part of Italy it was inspired by.
Florence, after the part of Italy it was inspired by.
Remember when I talked about that whole matching your purse
to your shoes thing a few posts back? Well, I’ve been trying to follow it
lately and I’m starting to love how it seems to pull all of my outfits together
so easily.
to your shoes thing a few posts back? Well, I’ve been trying to follow it
lately and I’m starting to love how it seems to pull all of my outfits together
so easily.
These (ridiculously comfortable) lace up heels go perfectly
with my saddle bag, if I do say so myself.
with my saddle bag, if I do say so myself.
Talking all about accessories and what not, I haven’t even
touched on this dress yet!
touched on this dress yet!
I snagged this dress from Anthropologie last January-ish on
sale for around $40!! I had had my eye on it all fall long, but didn’t have a
good enough excuse to make the commitment. Well per usual, the sale price got me
good. It has been tucked away in my
closet ever since, waiting for fall to make its appearance.
sale for around $40!! I had had my eye on it all fall long, but didn’t have a
good enough excuse to make the commitment. Well per usual, the sale price got me
good. It has been tucked away in my
closet ever since, waiting for fall to make its appearance.
The bright orange flowers just screams fall to me, don’t they to you? Just one
look at this dress and I want to go apple picking in an orchard & then jump
into a pile of leaves.
None of which are possible in Houston, Texas – but I can live with that. 😉
anthropologie floral dress (old – similar & similar) //
park lane earrings, bracelet & ring c/o // patricia nash salerno saddle bag c/o //
francesca’s heels // sunglasses
park lane earrings, bracelet & ring c/o // patricia nash salerno saddle bag c/o //
francesca’s heels // sunglasses
This dress may be last season, and unfortunately sold out, but not to worry! I’ve linked several similar options, all at various price points too. 🙂
Living across the street from a renown purse designer’s flagship
store, I always wondered, why Knoxville? After all, the magic behind Patricia
Nash’s gorgeous handbags occurs mostly in the St. Croce area, between Pisa
& Florence, Italy. (PS: I want to go to there!)
store, I always wondered, why Knoxville? After all, the magic behind Patricia
Nash’s gorgeous handbags occurs mostly in the St. Croce area, between Pisa
& Florence, Italy. (PS: I want to go to there!)
As it turns out, Patricia Nash not only has family ties to the
area, but her husband is a developer with a passion for architecture &
restoring old buildings. If you haven’t been to Knoxville before, the downtown
area is filled with new restaurants, shops & apartments all inhabiting the loveliest
of old, interesting buildings. What better place for Patricia Nash’s flagship
boutique to be, than tucked right inside the heart of downtown Knoxville.
area, but her husband is a developer with a passion for architecture &
restoring old buildings. If you haven’t been to Knoxville before, the downtown
area is filled with new restaurants, shops & apartments all inhabiting the loveliest
of old, interesting buildings. What better place for Patricia Nash’s flagship
boutique to be, than tucked right inside the heart of downtown Knoxville.
Also, side note, her son is the Executive Chef of Crowne & Goose! Which is
basically my favorite little pub/eatery in all of Knoxville. Patrick and I would
go there for dinner and drinks ALL the time! We even celebrated our college
graduations & engagement there! Small world, huh?
basically my favorite little pub/eatery in all of Knoxville. Patrick and I would
go there for dinner and drinks ALL the time! We even celebrated our college
graduations & engagement there! Small world, huh?
What I love most about this purse is, like Patricia, the tooled
leather details remind me of my mother and the story behind the purse reminds
me of where we used to live. Don’t you love it when you can apply
thoughts/memories like that to an everyday item? Sure makes fashion a whole lot
more fun.
leather details remind me of my mother and the story behind the purse reminds
me of where we used to live. Don’t you love it when you can apply
thoughts/memories like that to an everyday item? Sure makes fashion a whole lot
more fun.
As always, thanks for stopping by the blog.
—
alice
photos by lauren beatty
