I had the recent pleasure of discovering handbag designer, Anne Scott of Mari Lassa, on Instagram, and was blown away by her work! I also loved the fact that she’s based in Bend, Oregon (all the cool peeps live in Bend ;). When she reached out for a collab, it was a no-brainer! The inspiration behind Anne’s brand is her courageous great grandmother, Mari Lassa. Born in a small village in France, Mari was one of 13 children that labored a grueling farm life until a leg injury helped her decide to carve out a better life for herself on her own. At the tender age of 19, she moved to America, and settled down in Los Angeles. She created a big, loving family, and helped build a large farming operation with her French husband. Mari’s courage and tenacity served as the inspiration for Anne to launch her own business (no easy feat!), and her disciplined work ethic, along with French traditions held dear, still live strong within Anne and her family.

Such an incredible source of inspiration! I love learning the stories behind brands/people – especially this one. So, without further ado, take a look at one of the many beautiful products that a courageous French girl unknowingly inspired so long ago….