MADE IN EARTH: THIS IS VICTORIA PARIS

Victoria Paris captures soft lines, elegant designs, and longevity in each ethically made handbag. Laura Aguilera, Founder and Creative Director, of Victoria Paris, aims to educate and inspire consumers on the purpose of sustainability, while accentuating her Mexican roots through her sustainable luxury line. “We seek behind the enthusiasm of the creative process, the challenge of finding new aesthetic and functional values. Demonstrating that there is a way to make the profession of designer, a nobler activity for the planet and for the people who work behind the scenes, discovering new possibilities. Within our ideals, is to instill the virtue that what is Mexican is well done. That in Latin America, we are also good at creating, and above all that “the future is made by hand” to retake the values that have been lost during this time and give a significant value to what we buy,” she said.

Aguilera spent five years working directly in fast fashion. As a stylist and designer, her looks have been featured in internationally recognized magazines including Vogue, Elle, Marie Clair, Grazia, and L’Officiel. After becoming aware of the issues within the fast fashion industry, Aguilera knew she wanted to bring awareness to the importance of slow fashion. “I’ve always thought that changes start with yourself, so I decided to create Victoria Paris, not in order to promote my products only, but to educate people on sustainability and show that we can create durable and quality products and above all that, there is a story behind each of them,” she said. Aguilera developed her skillset while spending time in Mexico, Spain, and France (where she currently resides).

Her Mexican heritage shines by using PETA-approved vegan cactus leather to create each handbag. “I try to exalt the enormous value that the people of my country represent to me, starting with the material that I use since it is created in Mexico, and it was invented by Mexican people. Along with the maguey and mesquite, the nopal (cactus) formed the triumvirate of sacred plants of pre-Hispanic Mexico. You can appreciate the [biological diversity of the cactus] when you are walking in the markets or on the roads of Mexico and we enjoy it in its shades from green-yellow to red-purple, in the juiciness of its pulp and its sweetness,” she said. Left over production waste is transformed into small accessories, and the proceeds from each sale go directly to children’s organizations. To create better living conditions and schooling opportunities in the poorest communities of Mexico, including her hometown, Guanajuato.

Victoria Paris designs are created with intention and made with love. Each handbag is a great addition to a Capsule Wardrobe, a wardrobe filled with versatile, durable, and timeless pieces that you never get bored of. Vegan cactus leather is especially versatile due to its waterproof properties and can be worn year-round with different styles. The bags are designed to be passed down through generations. One product can create uniqueness. You don’t have to be trend-driven to be stylish.