Handbag designer Bronagh Holmes
Bronagh holmes, 37, set up her luxury handbag company in 2015. she lives in Co Donegal, Ireland.
I’VE always had a love- hate relationship with the fashion industry. I’d grown up longing to be in fashion, and always wanted to set out on my own.
After graduating from the University of Westminster in fashion design, I threw myself into work. I soon saw how fickle and wasteful the industry could be and wanted my business to be more mindful.
After days working in studios for designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Amanda Wakeley, I’d go home and come up with ideas for my own brand. I designed my logo long before I launched my company, and saved every penny I earned.
After four years of various fashion jobs, I was made redundant in 2011. I spent the best part of a year trying to find work in London, getting repeatedly knocked back. I even worked in a cocktail bar for a while, but I was so tired I couldn’t design during the day.
I felt depressed and disheartened. I was beginning to lose sight of my dreams. At that point, my dad suggested I come home to Ireland and pursue my ambitions from there. I returned and focused on setting up my business.
Originally, I was going to produce a clothing range using environmentally friendly fabrics, but the factory let me down.
What could I do with the resources at my fingertips, I thought? Having taught myself to work in leather for my graduate collection, I enrolled on a leather handbag-making course in Kerry. That was it — my light bulb moment.
I would create handbags using ‘eco-leathers’, by-products of the food industry, to be more environmentally sustainable.
Today, I make every bag to order so nothing is wasted and I craft earrings from the off-cuts. The only plastic I use is in the mailing bag, which is biodegradable. Having control over all those aspects is one of the advantages of running your own business, as well as being able to pursue other projects such as bespoke eveningwear.
My handbags have been featured in Vogue and Tatler, and appeared on the Green Carpet Fashion Awards during Milan Fashion Week.
One of my proudest moments was being awarded the Butterfly Mark — for sustainability in luxury brands — because it was recognition of what I stand for and believe in. At last I’m doing what I love.