The Joann
leather tote bag
The Joann leather tote bag is my premiere offering as a bag designer named after my late aunt Joann Sykes. She was a light, soft but powerful presence. She smiled big and often. If there was ever a holiday or barbecue coming; it was at JoJo's house. Consider this a labor of love to someone who poured into me.
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The Story
The Joann tote bag was born in Brooklyn, the Summer of 2021. I took an introductory sewing class focused mainly on bags to add to my repertoire as a creator.
The environment was inviting and my instructor was amazing. You could smell the different fabrics and leathers in the air, the old industrial sewing machines lining one side of the room; I didn't expect the euphoric affect this would have on me. The longer I was in the class the deeper I sank into this new world. The closest I've been to designers and their tools of choice was at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh roaming the upstairs halls being nosey, but I'd never step into the space; instead settling for an interested glance making sure I was not noticed by anyone. Myself and the one other student would eventually finish our bags, but I knew this wasn't my last bag, just the first out of a million. I was excited and my creative juices were flowing. On this day the seeds of PRPHT were planted.
She was the coolest person in the world.
She had style. Simple and clean.
JoJo was all about quality.
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100% Genuine Ravello Leather
The Summer of 2003 was Joanns last summer on Earth. The final two weeks I spent at her home as she went to work is when the NorthEast Blackout occurred back home in NYC.
The Northeast blackout of 2003 was a widespread power outage throughout parts of the Northeastern and Midwestern United States, and most parts of the Canadian province of Ontario on Thursday, August 14, 2003, beginning just after 4:10 p.m.
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