Perched atop the Andes mountains, in a remote part of South America, lies a small town with a striking sense of style.  Isolated from other civilizations, for generations its artisans have developed their own distinctive combinations of colors, leathers, and furs.  For years, travelers lucky enough to pass through the region have been captivated by these designs and brought them home as prized treasures.

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Their most iconic design was the Carriel - or carryall, in English.  This versatile bag was used by the village's men, who used it to store their money and goods as they did everything from wrangle cattle to conduct their daily business.  The bags were designed with secret pockets - "secretos" - to fool bandits that might be encountered on the long trips to the next cities.

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In 2015, we were visiting relatives and saw a carriel in the window at a trading post in town.   Struck by the design - and seeing the potential as a terrific handbag! - we inquired as to its origin and immediately rearranged our plans to visit.

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After hours driving into the countryside and then ascending windy roads into the Andes, we finally reached the town and were awestruck.  Before us lied a beautifully maintained traditional village, with a small but humming town square, incredible views as far as the eye could see, and everyone donning carriels! 

 

After speaking with various townspeople, we met the family that has produced these bags - each by hand - over multiple generations and we hit it off.  Over the course of few meetings, we created a modified design more suitable for the modern woman - a slimmer profile, upgraded zippers, and a number of other essential design features.  We decided to produce a handful and bring them back to New York to see what people thought.

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After a few weeks wearing these new bags on the streets of New York and receiving numerous unsolicited compliments, we knew we were on to something.

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Now, Tusa Bags, named for the famous mountain nearby the village, is proud to work exclusively with these same artisans to bring these individually handcrafted handbags to the modern woman, to celebrate her own distinctive style.

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