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How did your interest in sewing and bag making begin?
I began to tailor my own clothes in high school since I didn’t have enough money for a tailor, but a lot of free time. I squeezed out every inch of wearability from my clothes so I didn’t have to buy new, and after learning about the waste that the fashion industry produces, it felt like a good reason to upcycle.
Bags were always my favorite accessory. I began upcycling old denim, t-shirts, and workwear into bags and then it emerged as a collaborative project with friends to create accessories that matched their hobbies and personalities, like ping pong bags, wine bags with corkscrew pockets, camera bags with film canister pockets.
Tell us about your bag & accessories brand, RICO!
RICO specializes in functional, durable, and purposeful accessories all handmade in Brooklyn.
It’s about celebrating the creative, social, and hobbyist community that surrounds me in NY, creating items that match their lifestyle: the music lovers, the wine drinkers, the photography heads. There are endless hobbies and I want to celebrate all of them, interviewing people, learning their workflow, what they need, and how I can build something fun and personalized for them.
What’s your favorite part about the New York creative community?
The closeness. Everyone is a couple of degrees of separation apart, so it becomes easier to form connections once you put your name out there and I want to continue building those relationships, especially with other AAPI creators.
And I also hear that you’re writing a Wine substack, What About Wine?
I’ve always loved wine and drinking culture, which was a big inspiration for my RICO Wine Bag. Wine has the ability to create something magical out of little moments. I recently passed my WSET (Wine Spirit Education Trust) exam and I’ve been asked a lot of questions about wine from friends & family. Things like: What pairs together? What should I drink? How do I order the right wine at a wine bar or shop?
Sometimes I think wine has this mystique and pretension around it, so my newsletter is an attempt to make it approachable—so anyone can feel confident and just have fun while drinking, maybe learning something new too.
Do you have any fun new designs on the horizon?
One very exciting one, with Coolstuff! It’s been fun collaborating on creating a signature wine-tote as we’ve also enjoyed our fair share of wine together.
Second, is a new record bag inspired by DJ friends, record-collectors, and leopard side panel pants. And more collaborations on the horizon, follow me to see more and connect!
Follow Along
@rico__usa
@ericericdodo
www.ricousa.shop
What About Wine Newsletter