Sandra Cadavid

With a BA degree and background in International Business and Spanish, I decided in May 2011 to pursue my dream of launching a global luxury design start-up, at the same time enrolling in the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business MBA program to refine my design craft and business savvy. After a year of countless hours building my company from whole cloth (or leather), and finishing my MBA, I am excited to launch my 2012/13, and first, handbag collection. My inspiration for my company and collection was the architecture, culture, history and people of Cartagena, Colombia. I design all my handbags in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and each bag is then assembled by a group of talented artisans from across Colombia. The materials for each bag include custom dyed alta gamma leathers made only for my collection, and custom designed silver-plated, 24-karat gold plated, and "laton envejecido" (vintage finish) hardware. Colombian artisans with more than 30 years of experience constructing luxury leather goods assemble each bag by hand. The time-consuming, intensive process involved to create each bag ensures an end result of unique style and impeccable quality, unmatched in the industry.
As a global citizen, I have also embraced the idea that social responsibility should be part of every handbag I design. This involves my giving back to the community through philanthropy, serving clients with complete transparency, treating partners fairly, and creating handbags that are environmentally friendly.