Tag Small Luxury Business

A Christmas Message from Beau Satchelle

As another Christmas is upon us and the mad rush to meet the deadline to prepare for the holiday for family and friends is approaching fast and furious, Beau Satchelle wanted to take this opportunity to stop for just a moment and post a message of reflection. For us, this has been a year of transitions which involved some surprises, plenty of accomplishments and a few disappointments. We are grateful for our blessings in our first year of growth and continuing to do introspective work for our business and as individuals. Being an entrepreneur takes more commitment than one can believe possible. Possessing the ability to ignore all the distractions that can hinder your focus and surrounding yourself with positive, like-minded people are betting on your success is priceless. As we reflect on where we are as a business, the realization that our knowledge has come from many directions, I would like to touch on three areas that have impacted Beau Satchelle’s growth. Continuing Education Without a doubt, after the 2008 Recession, we saw the growth of many aspiring American entrepreneurs. And, as we all compete for consumer dollars, the ability to offer quality in products and services is important. Although we study our direct competitors in the luxury leather industry, we gain even more from other industries. We are inspired by tech companies with their visionary abilities; we admire five star hotels and resorts that leave no stone unturned to please their guests and pay homage to the selflessness organizers of the charities that we’ve partnered with who work so hard to help those less fortunate. We appreciate artists, designers and engineers of all fields who value producing quality, strive for sustainability and embrace beauty and creativity. The Internet’s Influence The emergence of the internet has allowed entrepreneurs to […]

All I Want For Christmas Is….

Growing up, it was interesting being incredibly introverted, except for when it came to my tastes in “stuff” which were quite unusual and exotic for a child! It was never ordinary and when I asked for toys my childhood friends wouldn’t even dream of. Loving it, being the exception, and the more unique the better. When the Sears and JC Penny Christmas catalogs came out, I meticulously looked through them wanting to be sure I left an outstanding list for Santa on Christmas Eve. As an adult, the Christmas list experience is still a pleasurable process, combing the high end websites, such as Robb Report or Nieman Marcus just as meticulously for that one of a kind gift that can be place under the Christmas Tree. A girl can dream… Asprey Lambskin Scrabble Board www.asprey.com The British Luxury Brand specializes in jewelry and luxury goods and has created the iconic gift for the consummate Scrabble player to have at the ready for guests on the yacht or private jet. The board is made out of Grey, Red, Green and Black Lambskin; Red English Saddle leather presentation case; Black lambskin letters housed in a purple velvet Asprey pouch and 4 black lambskin racks to hold the playing letters. Describing this as a luxurious game board is an understatement. -$11,950 Qlocktwo Table Clock http://qlocktwo.com If you want a conversation piece for your home office, don’t look any further. Manufactured by Biegert & Funk, this is a standout of timepieces. Unlike a traditional clock, it has no hands nor digits. The time is displayed by written word through a pattern of letters spelling out the time in words. The screen is illuminated by brilliant LED technology. The company also designs this technology for a wall display or for your wrist. -Sold at Neimen […]

The Backstory of Beau Satchelle

As 2016 quickly comes to a close we wanted to celebrate the end of our first year with a blog about our history. We get a number of questions asking about our background and the origin of Beau Satchelle. So in the beginning…destiny weaved her way into our lives. Co-founders, April Bayles (AJ) and T. Michael met in late 2007 and discovered they shared similar passions and interests. After countless discussions about the love and challenges of being an entrepreneur and eventually T. Michael sharing his business model of a luxury brand, a partnership was developed and Beau Satchelle was conceived. A native Detroiter and proud University of Michigan graduate, at a very young age, April adored anything to do with fashion…clothes, hair, accessories. Taught by her Mom how to sew and had inherited a talent for drawing from her Dad, she dreamed of becoming a high end fashion designer. However, life happened and she became distracted with other interests and put her love for fashion on the backburner. Her experiences through college and various jobs along with her serial entrepreneurship ventures prepared her for the opportunity to come full circle and work on building a business brand that focuses on the lifestyle of luxury. T. Michael, a Michigan native. While in college, had an initial urge to explore the art of leather crafting was when he was unable to find quality belts on a college student’s budget. So, after much research which entailed finding the local leather store and reading books on belt making, purchasing and using the right tools was the first step in what was then a necessity gone hobby to what is now an emerging business. Later in life, the situation reoccurred with the need of another briefcase after his career took him through several ‘brand […]

Holiday Buying and the Bespoke Luxury Leather Goods Client

The leaves are changing color here in Detroit, which means that fall is here and winter is fast approaching. Winter, to many of us, means the holiday season, and with the holidays come along an entrenched gift-giving tradition. After years of buying gifts for the many people on your list, some of us are out of ideas for that perfect gift. After all, there are only so many ties and bathrobes and slippers that people can use, and some people are turning to digital programming for movies, so Blu-Rays are fazing out, as are books: since many people favor the electronic version. Still, we want to buy something nice for our loved ones, friends and business associates in our lives, to convey either love or appreciation for another holiday season. So what do we get? Have you considered a bespoke luxury handcrafted item? Located in Metro-Detroit, Michigan, Beau Satchelle is a local, small, luxury company designing and crafting luxury leather handbags, clutches, cases and connoisseur luxury goods like journals and wine holders. Never outsourced to other countries, our beautiful handcrafted leather goods are made by master craftsmen right here in Michigan, so they are works of art. What better gift than a beautiful luxury item made to last a lifetime? Luxury handbags are a great gift because they are used every day, and are a practical accessory that everyone notices as soon as you walk in the door. All of our bespoke leather goods are functional, yet luxurious handcrafted works of art. Hand-stitched with love and care, they convey confidence, professionalism, glamour, sophistication, style, elegance, and the good life. For that reason, they are a great investment. With proper care, our luxury leather handbags will last and last and be great go-to accessories that will compliment everything in your wardrobe. […]

Beau Satchelle Evening Handbags Are Ready For The Holidays!

The art of leather accessory design has layers of processes that only the artisan’s hands involved or a leather aficionado can appreciate. A well-made luxury bespoke bag takes 20-40 hours to make and entails hundreds, perhaps over a thousand, hand-sewn saddle stitches; all done with hand tools, two needles and thread. The choice of leather is a vital decision as to the ultimate look and feel of the product to ensure the owner’s delight of the product each time it is used. With those values and work ethic driving us, we are especially proud of the latest creations of our Master Leather artisan, T. Michael. This year, the number of requests to expand our luxury clutch offerings has amplified. Particularly with the upcoming holidays and celebrations looming on the horizon. As promised, it is our pleasure to introduce the first two bags that involve our eveningwear collection: The Grace Bespoke Clutch Bag (pictured above) is making its debut this November as a true one of a kind for Beau Satchelle. As with all of our products, it was necessary that we, first and foremost, provided good design and superior craftsmanship. The clutch’s design has a concave shape and is petite enough for a woman to comfortably carry in her hand. The leather is made from Italian lambskin in silver metallic and feels amazingly soft. The interior is made of black goatskin to contrast the silver exterior. This luxury jewel is sewn with fine waxed black thread and the edges are hand painted and hand burnished in black. An interior sleeve was created to provide accessibility for a Smartphone and keep it separated from other items like keys and makeup. The remaining interior has just enough room to carry a few personal items for that special evening out. A nickel chain […]

Beau Satchelle Happenings and Updates

The last month has been a whirlwind of activities for Beau Satchelle as we have been participating in several Metro Detroit Auctions to benefit some very worthy organizations and charities. We are also in the midst of getting prepared for a great holiday shopping season by positioning and promoting our bespoke luxury goods for one of kind gifts. Detroit Uncorked With an invitation from the Detroit Wine Association (www.detroitwine.org) we were honored to donate a bespoke leather piece for auction, named the “Emily Handbag” to the 12th Annual Detroit Uncorked Wine Extravaganza. The event’s proceeds benefit Gleaners Community Food Bank (www.GCFB.org ) one of the most significant charities in Metropolitan Detroit. Gleaners’ sole purpose is to solve hunger in Southeast Michigan through an intensive emergency food collection program that delivers millions of pounds of food to 535 community partners who in turn distribute to food pantries, shelters and schools. Over 20 restaurants and food vendors provide tasty hors’deuves while guests were able to sample over 250 Wines from all over the world from over 30 wine distributors and suppliers. The Silent Auction had a myriad of items ranging rare and vintage wines, work by local artists (including Beau Satchelle!), one of a kind wine lover collectibles and sports memorabilia. Spark 2016 Detroit Garment Group (www.detroitgarmentgroup.org), the non-profit organization whose mission is to cultivate education and economic development opportunities for Michigan’s fashion community, as well as cut and sew manufacturers in all industries. In conjunction with their FashionSpeak 2016 conference, Beau Satchelle was privileged to donate one of our bespoke designed messenger handbags to their inaugural fundraiser SPARK. As a member of this association, we are fortunate to part of a fashion network that brings together professionals from across the State of Michigan and have the opportunity to rub elbows with […]

Celebrating National Handbag Day

If you adore handbags, like us, you are thrilled and anticipating the approaching celebration of National Handbag Day on October 10, 2016. A day created by one of our favorite sites purseblog.com where handbag aficionados pay homage to the designers, the history and timeline of styles, and the trends of the past, present and future. So if you need some ideas to prepare for this special day, here’s eight ways to show your love! 1. Downsize your personal collection and donate your gently used bags – Pay it forward. Why not do something altruistic and take some time to find a charity that supports low income women who are returning to the workforce? For example, Dress for Success is a global organization that accepts gently used clothing and accessories for the purpose of giving women a helping hand to build an office wardrobe. In the Metro Detroit area, there are couple of non-profits that also use donated handbags as a springboard to helping survivors of domestic violence. 2. Contribute to your local economy and purchase from an up-and-coming handbag designer in your area – Nothing makes a statement like supporting an emerging handbag artists. 3. Shoes and Boots to compliment the bag – At all of the Fashion Weeks from New York to Paris, we noticed over the knee boots, embroidered boots, chunky heals and over the top embellished shoes. To compliment your latest footwear purchase, finding the perfect matching or contrasting bag will give your outfits a complete and finished look. 4. Plan your holiday gifts for your loved ones – a bespoke bag made exclusively for the women in your life is the ultimate luxury possession. Beau Satchelle has the ability to take any of its designed bags and customized it to your preferences and needs. 5. Buy […]

Leather and Tech: The Perfect Pairing!

The cell phone. Can’t live without it! Since our lives depend more and more on phones, tablets, and laptops, it becomes imperative that luxury leather designers stay ahead and create accessories that can accommodate these devices. Leather accessories have multiple functions that include protecting and holding the device while showing off your individual style. Although the range of textiles that can be converted into a holder for a cell phone are numerous, leather ups the game in conveying an indulgence that can’t be equaled. Offerings with leather products include: Handbags and Wallets – whether a tote, crossbody, clutch or wristlet, a woman will require a pocket that can handle her phone with easy access. From Beau Satchelle’s experience, more female consumers are requesting at least one pocket outside of the handbag or an interior pocket that is extremely handy if she hears one of her notification sounds. Even an unassuming leather wallet needs to have the ability to not only house the essentials (credit cards, money, and identification), but must offer a cell phone pocket to show a women’s style and simplicity when she runs her errands. Duffle Bags and Backpacks – these particular bags are designed and built for multiple uses whether the gym, the classroom, the office, hiking or a weekend outing, multiple pockets and specific locations for tech products are essential. It is imperative that not only books, or a weekend outfit have a perfect home, but sufficient room is set aside to secure a tablet or laptop. Of course, once again an accessible cell phone pocket is necessary for easy access. With the advent of mobile chargers stations that allow phone and tablet users to become independent of “searching for a wall plug”, these technological have raised the bar to insure that a carrier can support […]