Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Marquez.
Maria, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Since I was young, I have always been intrigued and curious about the world of fashion. I have always loved to play with my style and try new trends and I’m always on the lookout for fashion events in my area. But as an Engineer working in technology for the last 15 years I have never really had the opportunity to dive too much into it, and even when I started my own fashion blog about ten years ago I’d always find a reason to set it aside and eventually abandon it.
Everything changed about a year ago when my seven years old started first grade and developed a great love for books and reading. To keep her “fire” alive and support her newfound passion, we started to read together short biographies of some of the most amazing women in history. We read about Hellen Keller, Annette Kellerman, Elizabeth Blackwell and so many other women who overcame immense physical and social obstacles to accomplish their dreams. These biographies paired with today’s women empowerment movement gave me the final push I needed to start making my dreams a reality.
As with most inventions, everything started with an accident: my favorite bag was irreparably damaged after my kid’s crayons, snacks and water exploded at the bottom resulting in an impossible-to-clean mess. As I am sure all moms can relate, we are always the ones in charge of carrying all the kid’s essentials forcing us to wear huge diaper bags (that look more like luggage) and leave no room for style, color or personality (and never really go with anything)
One day, tired of cleaning yet another mess, I remembered these beautiful and colorful “Mercado” bags my mom and nana used in my native Mexico to visit local markets and run errands around town. They are perfect to avoid the use of plastic non-recyclable bags, are very durable and my favorite part is that they are colorful and fully washable.
I decorated my first Frida bag with some cotton thread and sequins from my kid’s old costumes and I loved all of it! The process, the result, everything! Finally, I had a durable bag that won’t be easily ruined, shows off my style and love for unique and colorful pieces and as a bonus fills me with pride not only because I made it myself but also because it showcases my love for my Hispanic culture.
I started making a few here and there for close friends and family, participated in a few local holiday bazaars and little by little through collaborations with fashion bloggers and influencers I’ve been able to grow my brand.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with every new project that starts to take form, I’ve had ups and downs and more than once I’ve thought about giving it all up.
Time management has been amongst my biggest obstacles, I still have a full-time job as a Systems Engineer in an IT company and I have my two girls to care for, so I only have nights and weekends to dedicate to Mandado Bags. I’m not going to lie, it is exhausting and there have been long working nights and many other cancelled “date nights” with my husband because I have orders to finish.
But just then, when I’m ready to give up, I think about my girls and the example I want to show them and so many other girls and women who have dreams just like mine but think it is impossible to reach them.
The secret is to persevere and celebrate every step and accomplishment because, even though we might not always see it that way, each one moves us closer to success.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Mandado Bags – what should we know?
First, I started decorating the Frida Bag and from there I included two more styles: Catrina & Our Lady of Guadalupe. Now
As the interest in my bags grew, I started to add more styles and now nine months later my collection, “Mexican Icons” includes a total of 6 designs which are some of the most recognizable icons of my Mexican culture: La Catrina, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Sugar Skull, La Sirena, Loteria Mexicana and of course, Frida Kahlo.
I also hand paint and decorate smaller bags geared towards the little ones at home who want to be as stylish and unique as mom.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The main characteristic of my bags and what makes them stand out from the rest is the uniqueness each one has. By hand sewing different color appliques, sequins and beads I make sure each bag is as unique as the person who wears it. To me, each bag serves as a blank canvas through which I can express my creativity and passion for unique and colorful pieces.
Whenever I start working on a new bag a make sure to take my time and carefully select the colors and materials I am going to use. I look for new sewing techniques, come up with my own designs and through all this process I leave a little bit of me into each bag.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mandadobags.com
- Email: mandado_bags@hotmail.com
- Instagram: @mandado_bags
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