Vancouver Fashion eZine - Online Magazine | Acessory Designer

"I've always been a messenger bag and backpack kind of girl," says 25-year-old Randi Obenauer, her curly red ringlets bouncing as she excitedly talks about her unique accessory line, Ora Handbags. "I'm not a name brand kind of person, I love supporting local designers and vintage clothing, I love really unique items and I appreciate handmade quality."

And that is exactly what she delivers, eagerly, full of passion and not quite like anyone else in the business.

One of only 2000 people who call the small town of Logan Lake, nestled between Merritt and Kamloops, home, Randi stands out from the rest with her distinctive style.

"I had all this access to leather and these scraps so I thought I'd make myself a purse, and I got so much reaction from it. Everyone was like oh my god where did you get that bag? So I figured I was kind of on to something," explains Randi on how she got into the handbag designing business.

All her bags are made from 100 per cent recycled leather, acquired from furniture manufactures, old sample books from an upscale furniture stores and old leather garments. Most leather jackets are either donated to her or come from VGH thrift stores, whose proceeds go toward helping others in need. Some bags are made out of old leather pants or skirts, which still hold the character of what they used to be.

" I'm really process oriented and I get inspired by the material," explains Randi from comfort of her Mount Pleasant apartment, decorated in all sorts of artwork including many of her own paintings. Her creative outlet isn't limited to her handbags. "I love leather I can't deny that. I think it's beautiful and I feel really good about using recycled garments and reentering them into the industry rather than going out and spending hundreds of dollars on fresh dead cows!"

She admits to being a recycling fanatic and says, "I try really hard to be as eco friendly as I can be, I'm always like 'why did you throw that in the garbage' to people around me."

The name Ora comes from Randi's love of the concept of aura, light around the body, as well as the fact that all three letters are apart of her surname.

She personally makes each and every one of her bags which sets her apart from many local designers doing the same sort of thing, "It's a little exhausting at times, but I take a lot of pride in that too because I'm really concerned with quality and can be really self-critical."

Her signature style is the crescent shape style. "I have a set pattern for that style of bag, and then however I decorate it or embellish it is different each time" The straps are always hand braided and adjustable made from scrap leather.

Some require a lot more work and detailing than others, as she does a lot of embellishments from time to time and others may have a similar idea or concept to them, but no two bags are alike.

"I'm having a lot of fun with this," admits Randi. "I have the signature style, then I have the pant or skirt style, then I have sort of just one off ones," says Randi about the variations in her products, her cat frantically running about the room and tangling himself amongst the bags and garments, "I want to make more styles, I want to make more bags!"

Because she has a background in automotive upholstery, a trade she acquired from Kwantlen and worked in for about a year, a unique twist has been placed on the character that each bag holds, reflecting into the way she sews and designs her bags. The big bold stitching with thick threading, the construction detail, and the use of leather have only been made possible thanks to her heavy-duty upholstery sewing machine.

Her gorgeous green leather couch was once a tacky orange couch rescued from a fire in Langley, which now sits in her living room, perfectly reflecting Randi's style. Although she still does some side automotive jobs, she's begun to shift away from that area.

Upon graduation from her 10-month program in 2007 at Helen Lefaux, she received the Golden Bobbin for top over-all achievement and a scholarship "I really enjoyed it, I was really flattered to get the award."

On the way to completion of an advanced certificate in Textile Arts at Capilano College, working on her line as well as attending classes has been and interesting balance for Randi.

"I have five years of post secondary education, so I call it my collective degree." This year is more of a self-directed and focused year, allowing her to utilize the facilities and apply it to what she's doing outside of school as well, as she has with her newest addition to her line, personalized silk-screened linings.

"School is this incredible creative outlet, and I'm learning so much."

Randi loves couture and says she'd definitely like stay with an eco friendly idea and would love to apply that same principle to a clothing line in the near future. "I'm really looking forward to this semester ending so that this can be a fulltime pursuit." Though the term 'eco-friendly' has become somewhat of a catchphrase in the industry Randi really stays true to this principle in all her work.

Her bags are sold in 'Twigg and Hottie' on main street, and at 'Moon Cruise Gallery' and 'Nouvelle Nouvelle' in gas town. Soon she'd love to get her bags into some Toronto stores. Check out her unique creations at: www.oraearth.com