Our handbags: We carry them everywhere and can’t leave home without them. A handbag can arguably be the most powerful statement of personal style. Beyond the design, brand and every other eye-pleasing aesthetic detail often lays a special, intangible meaning that the wearer holds dear.
For Jennifer Boonlorn, that special significance is soul. As the founder and creative director of Soul Carrier, Boonlorn designs beautiful, handcrafted handbags with a meaningful purpose.
Raised in Arizona, Boonlorn always had a love for fashion. However, her life took a drastic turn in 2000 when both of her parents tragically died in a car crash. After graduating with a business degree from Arizona State University, Boonlorn was determined to stay true to herself and decided to pursue her dreams of a career in fashion. She moved to New York City to attend the prestigious Parsons The New School for Design and worked at the helms of such industry powerhouses as Oscar de la Renta, Henri Bendel and American Eagle.
The idea for Soul Carrier was conceived when Boonlorn returned home and participated in “The Mannequin is our Muse” project at Barneys New York Scottsdale Fashion Square, where she creatively dressed her mannequin out of rag rugs from the dollar store. Inspired, she combined her fashion and design expertise with her business savvy to officially launch Soul Carrier in 2009 as a socially conscious fashion company.
Soul Carrier’s brand ethos is all about living life with authenticity and in a socially responsibly way. In fact, Soul Carrier is in the process of being registered as a Certified Benefit Corporation, which means that its product and operations meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency that ensure not only quality but also ethical practices.
Soul Carrier’s latest collection – Conscious Intentions – features strong, clean lines of sturdy, rustic brown leather that’s uniquely handcrafted in León, Mexico. With prices ranging from $175 to $495, each bag is named after character traits that reflect mindfulness. The Tenacity Messenger Bag ($185) with cross-body strap is perfect for work, while the Illumination Clutch ($175) in cowhide fur and varicolored leather takes you for a night out on the town and the signature Integrity Tote ($450) fits everything and anything during endless weekend shopping.
A portion of each Soul Carrier sale benefits Crisis Nursery, a children’s shelter and foster care center in downtown Phoenix.
To shop or find out more information about Soul Carrier, visit soulcarrier.com. Soul Carrier can also be found at select local boutiques, like For The People, Kiss Me Kate and Pepper Boutique.
