Sections

9.1.15

Thing of Beauty: Talent? She’s Got it in the Bag

You’ve seen them on the street draped over the shoulders of women or in the windows of boutiques. Stylish handbags with a unique flora and fauna print. Or, as the designer refers to her tote-able illustrations, “hidden secrets in nature.”

Kate Fournier, the one-woman workforce behind Noepe Design, launched her company this past spring. Mere months later, her products are in high demand.

The collection currently features three styles of bags, all handmade from start to finish by Fournier on the Island. And the process is comprehensive. Starting with her multitude of illustrations, she scans them into the computer, prints out various copies and sizes, and then places them in repeats on fabric. But she’s not done yet.

From there, she silkscreens the linen with custom-mixed dyes, waits for it to dry, then hand-sews the bags together. Sourced leather and brass hardware embellishments complete the process. The end result: the small Townie Clutch ($75), the mid-sized Islander Tote ($158), or the large Ferry Boat Tote ($228).

“The best seller is the slate blue with white feathers Ferry Boat Tote,” she said. “I have a hard time keeping [that] one in stock!” Other designs include rabbits, foxes, moths, birds, feathers, and ferns.

Fournier’s bags, which retail at Citrine in Vineyard Haven, Driftwood Jewelry in Oak Bluffs, and at two off-Island locations, tend to sell as quickly as they hit the shelves. You can also purchase directly from her at the Vineyard Artisans Festivals at the Grange Hall on Sundays. And don’t forget her new website, noepedesign.com, which went live in between sewing breaks in August.