Upping trendy handbags’ handiness
Having a baby opened Poppy & Peonies founder’s eyes to an unfilled market niche
When faced with the difficulty of finding a fashion bag as a new mother — that was also functional — Natalie Dusome kept coming up empty-handed.
The options, she says, were either stylish but completely impractical, or perfectly practical, but hideous.
So, she decided to make her own. And the Canadian collection Poppy & Peonies was formed.
Dusome recently chatted with Postmedia News about her brand, her long history of handbags and what’s new for the holiday season.
QWhen and why did you start Poppy & Peonies?
AI started Poppy & Peonies about a year and a half ago. It was when my daughter Poppy was born that I got the idea for the company. Like all new moms, my lifestyle had drastically changed and I was looking for a handbag that was both trendy and practical — and I couldn’t find it. I figured there must be other women on-the-go looking for the same thing, so I decided to create it.
Did you have a background in accessories, or was this just a passion of yours?
I feel really blessed to be one of the lucky people doing what they love. I’ve known I wanted to be a designer ever since I was a little girl, so I worked really hard and got into Ryerson University where I earned a degree in design. From there, I went to the U.S. and designed for some amazing companies including Fossil, Abercrombie & Fitch and Banana Republic, and then made my way back home to Canada, where I worked as the head handbag designer for Aldo before starting my own company.
How would you describe the line?
We are all about versatility. What’s amazing about the bags is you can wear each piece multiple ways. Our customers love it because they can buy one piece and then wear it different ways depending on what they have going on.
Do you have a favourite piece, if so, which one and why?
I love the Sparkle Mini from our holiday collection. Micro bags are such a trend this season and I love that it’s glittery and feminine. You can wear it as a cross-body bag or top handle, and it’s a fresh new take on the holiday party bag.
What’s new for winter/holiday?
We have some gorgeous gift-ables that are under $39. Everyone travels around the holiday season, so we came out with adorable travel pieces — from weekenders with matching beauty bags, to passport and luggage tags — we have it all.
What is the price point of your accessories?
We try to keep our collection under $100. Some of our larger pieces, like the weekender, can go up to $139. But it’s so important that the bags are affordable.
Where can people check them out?
Poppy & Peonies is sold online at poppyandpeonies.com and through our society of influencers, who are brand ambassadors that make it easy and convenient for busy women to shop. Our influencers bring the collection right into your living room so that you can share some laughs, catch up with friends and, of course, shop. There’s more information about our society of influencers on our website.
Lastly, what’s next for the brand?
We’re excited to expand into the realm of jewelry and accessories and apply our functional-fashion brand philosophy to those categories.