Alumni
Grad Launching Sustainable Handbag Collection
Eloisa Diaz’s dream of becoming a designer started as a girl growing up in Rahway, New Jersey. While in elementary school, she sketched and designed outfits for her Barbie dolls. “My aunt worked in the garment industry in New York at the time and would have my designs made for me, so it motivated me to sketch more and more,” said Eloisa, who designed her own prom dress. “It was a very natural and seamless transition for me to further my education in the fashion industry.” After graduating from FIT with a degree in Fashion Merchandising Management, Eloisa headed West to FIDM to fulfill her lifelong desire to become a designer. She earned a Fashion Design degree in 2004 and continued her studies at Central Saint Martins in London. Eloisa returned to the U.S. and worked in the private label sector in New York for brands sold at Macys, Nordstrom Rack, and Lord and Taylor, among others, and worked for Spiegel and Newport News. Next month, she is launching a sustainable handbag line, Eloisa, made by Italian artisans. We chatted with the FIDM Grad to learn more.
What was your path to FIDM like? I was always set on learning both the business and design of fashion as I am passionate about both. After visiting the LA campus at FIDM, I decided it was the perfect fit for me. The student-to-teacher ratio, the campus, and hands-on curriculum were all very appealing to me. I was also fascinated by the garment district in downtown LA and its history.
What led you to found your own handbag line? I had the chance to work on handbags for the first time for a freelance project. Instantly, I fell in love with all the details that go into the construction of a handbag. On a trip to Italy, I came across a shop where a man was making leather bags by hand. The amount of care and attention to detail he put into making each piece really left an impression on me. I felt so connected to him just through the product that he made. That moment is where the vision from my brand was born. Upon my return, I set out to create a line of handbags that is made by small houses and artisans so I could recreate that feeling I felt and share it with others through my collection.
What do you love most about entrepreneurship? Entrepreneurship is a new journey for me. What I love about it thus far is the complete creative freedom. I think sometimes as a designer when you work for someone else your vision sometimes gets lost in translation. To see my vision translate to a physical product is a wonderful feeling.
Tell us about the Italian artisans who are crafting the bags: For the leather bags in the collection, I work with a small Italian house that is family-owned and operated for several generations. All the pieces are crafted from genuine Italian leather and are cut and assembled by hand. This spring, I will be adding hand-knitted and crocheted bags in my assortment. These pieces are knitted and crocheted by a small tight-knit group of Neapolitan women who have been hand knitting for generations.
The leader of these women is Marilena Fortunato, who learned knitting from her mother when was just 10 years old. This is the first organization in the city of Naples that focuses on keeping the traditional art of knitting/crocheting alive. To be able to partner with them and bring their love for the art of knitting to my product is a great feeling. I think what people can expect from my designs is to feel connected to the people that made them. To establish a human connection through my products is very important to me.
How did FIDM help prepare you for your career? FIDM has prepared me in so many ways! With the skills I gained at FIDM I was able to quickly land my first job in the fashion industry in New York. The connections, lifelong friendships, and resources I have made through FIDM have gotten me to where I am today. Even years after graduation I feel very connected to the FIDM community.
Learn more at eloisastudio.com and on Instagram @eloisa_nyc.
Categories: Fashion Design Alumni
