Meet Pat Allen of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Pat Allen.

Hi Pat, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m a degreed Interior Designer that decided to take my design skills to another area . Since I’ve been sewing since I was little . I wanted to merge my skills together with my next phase in life. One morning when I awoke I kept hearing this voice saying that I should make handbags. It never crossed my mind before. But then I heard it again so I jumped up and went to a thrift store and bought a leather jacket. I then went to another thrift store and bought a handbag. I cut the handle off, gave them the bag back and came home to start my first project. I Continued doing this for practice and testing my creative skills. I had no knowledge that I was using the wrong type of leather for bags. During this time I took a computer class and a lady walked up to me to give me a business card. For a business school program ( why me.?) I followed through. What a blessing to get a complete business program for free. Then after graduation they gifted me with my first leather sewing machine. That was the beginning of pure fun and creative freedom. Along the way I spoke to children in art programs in school, young entrepreneurs in clubs, went on a tv show ,a radio show invited me to speak. Had the opportunity to go on Shark Tank, and other opportunities arose. So as my real real leather handbags grew. I used my anthropology acquired knowledge to name my bags in honor of women of color and provide a small bio attached to each bag. I guess I needed more than just a bag. As of today I’m still riding that train and enjoying it.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It certainly not been a smooth road . Leather is not cheap and since there were not any places in Atlanta to buy leather. I could only purchase leather when I went back to New York to visit family. Then I would ship it back , which was costing more than I had to spend. Most of all I didn’t want to get in debt trying to grow my business. So I begin to apply for grants and other small monies that I found.In order to grow my business more I realized that I needed some hands on help. Young ladies would approach me but would never show up to work. Or to learn more about the business or just how to sew. I even tried working through a school program for credit. How do I get help to grow more. I can’t do social media , appear on YouTube, attend private and public vending events plus create and sew the products , this remains an issue today.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Being a creative artist is being a free spirited person. I like to be different in who I am and my product reflects my personality. I create leather handbags based on would I carry the product myself and be proud of it. I’m most proud of using quality leathers and in a variety of colors. I remember being at a luncheon once and a lady at my table. Said she saw her sorority sister with this amazing handbag. In their group’s color. She looked inside , saw my label and said “ Oh this is a Pat Allen handbag” I do one of a kinds and have never been interested in mass production. I enjoy being creative because that’s who I am.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Watching my creative mother as I grew up. She would paint murals on the wall. Or draw cartoon characters in our room. She and my grandmother both sewed. When my mother would make us pretty dresses for occasions . She would never hem the dress until it was almost time to leave. That drove me crazy and I wanted to sew even more than just the doll clothes that I had been making. But my feet couldn’t touch the peddle yet. One day my mother surprised me and put the sewing machine on her bed’s bench. While I sat on the bed reaching the pedal. That’s when she gave my grandmother’s Vesti sewing machine to the happiest kid in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.Handleithandbagz.com
• Instagram: Handleithandbagz
• Facebook: Handleithandbagz
• Youtube: Handleithandbagz
• Other: Google business. Handleithandbagz