Handbag Artisan Represents Haitian Designers

The "VeVe" handbag line is designed by Haitian born designer, Phelicia Dell, and sells for between $70 and $120. Her "VeVe Collections" line has brought Dell from a struggling designer to a sought after artist whose bags have become a statement for the Haitian artistic movement. The bags sport hand-sewn sequins as well as colorful, intricate designs, often utilizing various symbols of the voodoo culture, and are in the shape and scale of the hugely popular Birkin bag.

Dell was once a struggling artisan in a country not widely known for its artistic endeavors. She was a single mother who began by giving away free samples of her work. Finally, she was chosen as the best emerging handbag designer when she won the Diane von Furstenberg global handbag design competition. The competition began when von Furstenberg sent out a request for women to create a handbag that reflects the local traditions of their country and culture. This competition was funded by Hillary Clinton's Vital Voices Global Partnership artisan program, which strives to empower women in over 120 countries. Dell's winning design was a handcrafted clutch with a painted design reflecting the "love and strength of Haitian women."

Haiti's Vital Voices chapter has struggled to find success for its female artists beyond the local boutiques. With her success at the von Furstenberg competition, many are hoping that Dell can be the woman to bring the handbag industry to Haiti in full force. Femmes en Democratie, a network of women owned businesses, sees Dell's success as the first step in "unlocking their potential and entering the global market." Internationally successful designer, von Furstenberg, is helping in her own right by ordering 200 of Dell's clutches as part of a limited edited DVF line. According to a von Furstenberg spokesperson, the bags are already almost completely sold out.