Today we’d like to introduce you to Laurie Sorenson.
Hi Laurie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
After my two sons moved out of the house, I began creating totes and bags. After trying different fabrics, I discovered wool felt and fell in love with the structure, colors, and durability. It is a beautiful fabric and makes a beautiful bag! I have been making totes and bags out of wool felt for the past six years. I did my first event six years ago, and the first shop I was fortunate enough to be in was the Walker Shop which opened up doors for other events and shops.
LES BAGS became my official name, and people have asked me if it is French (Les Bags), but nothing fancy—just my initials! I am a one-woman operation, and each bag is painstakingly handcrafted from the first cut of fabric to the final stitch. I love trying to design different styles of totes and love the wool felt! I have always felt that everyone needs a great tote!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I feel things have gone pretty smoothly, but I have had a lot of trial and error regarding finding the right fabric, hardware, and leather to make a beautiful bag. I wanted to be able to make a bag that would last, and I feel I found all the ingredients to make a bag that will stand up to everyday use and still look great! The wool felt and leather I use is high quality, and I feel good about my final product. The biggest struggle has been getting my product and customers to my website. The biggest struggle has been getting my product out there and customers to my website.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I create a new bag design by considering what the bag will be used for and what features will make the bag more functional. I created a crossbody bag to use on a trip to Italy and London, which worked out beautifully for traveling. I love a bag with simple lines and beautiful colors. I think I specialize in using wool felt, and I am proud of the line of bags I have created using that fabric. I want customers to use my wool felt bags all year round because of their durability, structure, and lovely colors.
What do you think about luck?
I think I have had good luck these last six years and have met some wonderful people along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: les-bags.com
- Instagram: les.bags
Image Credits
Amy Anderson Photography (Head Shot) Poly Mendes Photography (Product Images)
