Hand Painted Clutches by Laura Dro

Art + accessories, doesn't that sound perfect?  I am so excited today to share a new endeavor by the talented Laura Dro.  I met Laura a few years ago when she emailed to introduce herself to me and share her art.  I loved every single thing she paints and she generously gifted me a pineapple which currently hangs in our den.  Every single time I see it I remember her talent and her kind spirit.  When I spotted a new project she was working on I knew immediately I wanted to learn more. 

Image by Christina Wedge

For more than three years she toyed with the idea of creating something with fabric she hand painted.  As a professional artist and textile designer she has been selling her artwork and patterns to various companies for about eight years.  The last few years she focused on her art and has been very successful.  As a Florida girl you can see her love for her home state in her work, lots of pineapples, florals, and poolscapes. That is one of the reasons I was drawn to her work, I love all the bright colors and reminders of my own childhood in Florida.

When the idea of working with fabric to create a product of her own her mind immediately went to a bag or purse and she ultimately settled on a clutch.  She shared with me her thoughts on the process ...

Last summer, I was about to invest in getting bolts of fabric made with my art work splashed across it…but something stopped me-I felt it wasn't special enough, and I knew I would loose interest because I loved painting! Then, letting the idea evolve naturally and being patient, the concept of hand-painting my own fabric evolved. Before I knew it, I had every last detail planned out. Next came executing it…boy, did this send me into a whirlwind!!! This process took almost 10 months to get everything polished and perfected.

After working with 4 different seamstresses, test painting over 20 fabrics, researching leathers, tassels, lots of money invested…it all started to vibe!! Before I knew it, I found an amazing seamstress who helps me stay on track and keeps our inventory of materials up to date and I had mastered the painting process.

What I most love about the concept is that every clutch is completely one-of-a-kind!! I get on my hands and knees and paint every inch of the fabric, about 5 yards, next I select the most interesting parts to be cut for the clutch. Then I pass it over to my seamstress and she cuts and constructs these beautiful clutches. When you wear one of my clutches, you are literally walking around with a completely original piece of art!! Each month we are making 20 clutches and every month I will paint a completely new pattern!

Aren't they fabulous?  She has painted and created 20 clutches for this release, which went live Tuesday evening at 9 pm.  To purchase your own, check out her website and shop the clutches.  I love the idea that this has been something she is so passionate about and has sparked her creativity to a new level.  The bags are truly darling and, of course,  I love the palm print + the perfect tassels on the zipper.  I am very excited for her and know they will be a huge hit.

Make sure you check out her bags, her art, and keep your eye out for the next release as well.  I can't wait to see what she creates.  Since I love all of her art I know it will be just as amazing as these! 💚

Have the best day ... and make sure you follow along with Laura on Instagram to see more of her work and sneak peeks of the next collection.