Designer creates chic, sensible bags

By Jessica Hudgins
SDUN Publications Assistant

A woman can’t leave the house without it. It’s by her side for most of the day. When she can’t find it, a sense of panic takes over. For some, it’s as connected as a shadow. It’s … a purse! So if a bag is such a vital part of everyday life, why not make it practical and fashion forward? Enter Juliana de Freitas-Draper.

De Freitas-Draper is the founder and creative director of Giacini Atelier – a global fashion design company based in North Park that specializes in sustainable fabric handbags. Her bags, she said, are made for “real women.” They keep busy ladies organized without taking away their sense of style.

“My goal was to make a product that bridges the gap in your persona throughout the day. Nowadays so much is expected of women. We’re moms, we’re professionals, we go out and party. I wanted to create something that could be used for it all,” De Freitas-Draper said.

Her bags roll high fashion and practicality into one. Giacini Atelier’s motto: “Elegant utility for practical living.”

De Freitas-Draper’s graceful and chic style runs in her blood – the company is named for her grandmother, Catherine Giacini, who was a professional seamstress in the 1920’s and 1930’s. It was when de Freitas-Draper’s grandmother passed away that she decided to start her own company.

Inspired by everything from art and music to architecture and nature, de Freitas-Draper’s designs are multicultural. Her work is influenced by the paintings of Toulouse Lautrec, she said, as much as the luscious terrain of Brazil, and the timeless style of Jackie Onassis.

However, most of de Freitas-Draper’s ideas are generated from her everyday life. When she had her son in 2005, she stayed home from work his first year and took him everywhere. He quickly became her “shopping buddy.”

“I felt that dog owners would feel the same way and would want to carry their ‘shopping buddy’ with them everywhere. So why not make it classy?” she said.

Giacini Atelier’s Shopping Buddy is a large canvas tote that features a dog silhouette. Although the bags originally featured only poodles, pugs, greyhounds, Chihuahuas and Scotties, the designer now takes special orders so buyers can have the breeds that fit their fancies. The Shopping Buddy can also be used for the beach or on a picnic, and it can help save the environment from harmful plastic bags if used as a grocery bag.

One of Giacini Atelier’s backbones is its attention to environmental issues. Every bag is handmade, and all the materials are manufactured in the United States.

“I like to think of ourselves as environmentally and socially responsible,” said de Freitas-Draper.

She said she believes keeping production in the U.S. provides Americans with jobs while also reducing the environmental footprint associated with transportation and storage.

While manufacturing is done solely in San Diego, Giacini Atelier bags can be found all over the world. In the east they are represented in many independent boutiques in Manhattan. They also ship to Germany, Australia, Brazil and the U.K. Negotiations are in process with several Japanese distributors.

When Giacini Atelier caught the eye of celebrity gift guru and trend expert Lash Fary, he included them in the official gift bag for the Grammy’s. That exposure resulted in more attention, including a feature on “The Bonnie Hunt Show.” Hunt purchased three bags, had them signed by celebrities such as Serena Williams, and auctioned them at a charity event. In one afternoon the bags raised a half-million dollars for a cancer research foundation.

Giacini Atelier bags have a variety of light, fresh designs for summer. And when summer turns to fall, there’s no need to put the bag in hiding until the next year, de Freitas-Draper said. That’s because Giacini Atelier bags are not only durable, their style is seasonally interchangeable.

“I hate when you look for something and can’t find it because it’s old,” she said. “It’s like Levi’s – you can always go out and find a pair of the original 501’s. I want people to come to Giacini Atelier year after year and know that there’s not going to be any radical changes – only new additions.”

Giacini Atelier is now licensing its patterns for fabrics, gift wrap and wall décor. Anthology Fabrics soon will distribute the designer’s Mod Charm line.

Although Giacini Atelier does not have a San Diego storefront, bags are available online at shop.giaciniatelier.com. Prices range from $45 for a tote to $350 for a travel bag.

Note: For a limited time, mention you are a San Diego Uptown News reader when you place your order and receive a 15 percent discount and free shipping.