How a Hadley Pollet bag is made to be carried for years

Every Hadley Pollet bag is handcrafted by artisans, not massive factories, and made to be carried and loved for years, not a season. Here is what goes into one, from the first marker stroke to the last stitch.

It starts with a marker

Every bag carries a trim Hadley colors by hand. She works from her own photographs of nature, because color is energy, and colors each trim with markers before it becomes a textile. The trim is then woven into our own jacquard. Everything we make is limited edition, so each piece holds a little of her soul and a story all its own.

What are Hadley Pollet bags made of?

It depends on the bag, and we always say. The Departure Tote is handcrafted canvas with interwoven jacquard ribbons, leather braiding, and a button closure. The Cosmic Tote is textured Nappa leather, fully lined in a soft suede fabric, with a zippered pocket inside. The Anais bag sits on an Italian handbag frame, with a different trim and leather detail on each side, so one bag gives her two looks.

Why our linings are always colorful

"I'm done digging for my keys in the dark." A dark lining swallows everything. Ours are crisp oxford cloth or a suede fabric that feels delicious on the hand, and always colorful, so nothing hides. Reach inside, and the softness is the first surprise.

Pockets, and more pockets

Women love pockets, so our bags have lots of them. Before we cut a single piece, we think about the proportions of a woman's body, how a bag hangs from her arm, the size of her forearm and fingers, and what her day looks like with it on her shoulder. The Departure Tote is shaped to sit on the shoulder or in the crook of the elbow, as if it already knows her.

A secret only she knows

Every bag holds a secret little dialogue with the woman who carries it. Slip two fingers through the slide on a Peek-a-Boo clutch and there it is: a trim hiding where no one else will look. Nobody else needs to know. She does.

Who makes them?

We work hand in hand with small artisan workshops, and Hadley estimates about 80% of them are owned by women. We visit them ourselves, we help educate the artisans we work with, and we check that women are paid equally to the men in their families. Read more in Who makes my bag?

Questions about a bag?

Write to us at hello@hadleypollet.com. We love hearing the stories our bags collect.

Unique is chic.