NOVICA Leather handbag, 'Arrowhead'

Product Review

NOVICA, in association with National Geographic, searches the world to work directly with the finest artisan designers. Geometric motifs in blue, brown, gray and ochre form a series of diamonds. Set in a handbag, they complement the dark brown leather. This finely crafted purse comes from Giannini. Fully lined, it is decorated with contrasting topstitching and features an inner pocket that zips closed. Artisan Info: "I'm Constanza Forero Serrano de Gonzales and I'm from Colombia. I studied interior design, architectural design and drawing at Cali University. I met my husband when he was traveling through Columbia, and we've been together ever since. I came to Peru to meet his family, and I never left! We married and had three children, two girls and a boy. "Before, my life was about doing a lot of charity work, like raising funds for children and the aged. I used to do this up to two years ago, when my second daughter died in a car accident. She was only 20 years old and I was overcome by desperation. I didn't know how to get back on my feet. One day I found myself staring at a wardrobe, and inside I found some weaves I had once brought from Colombia. All of a sudden, it struck me: I needed to make something that would take my pain away. "I yelled out to my daughter, 'Giannini, help me out, what should I do?' Looking at the weaves it came to me, I would start making handbags. My daughter used to love handbags, so I took her name as my artistic name. I honor her memory through