Naghedi sustainable handbags
Founded & designed in NoMad
Sara Naghedi doesn’t want you to ever throw one of her bags away. When Naghedi began designing contemporary, fun, and affordably priced handbags for her company Deux Lux in 2005, the market was strongly driven by fast fashion trends and styles that were very much here today, gone tomorrow. Though she loved the creative process, and her company was a trusted private label resource for an enviable list of clients, Naghedi felt she needed to make a change. “I was increasingly troubled by the trend-driven fast fashion bags I was selling,” she said. “And I had an idea to create a brand that would be manufactured thoughtfully and designed to last for many seasons.”
Making a bold move, she shuttered Deux Lux and after careful research and product testing, launched Naghedi in 2016. Her namesake brand is committed to ethical and sustainable production, and to that end, the designer has chosen neoprene as the primary component for her intentionally limited assortment of styles.
Materials for the “Waste Not” collection are purchased in sheets, the neoprene — which is strong, lightweight and durable — is cut into strips and handwoven. Shying away from mass production, each bag in the Naghedi collection is constructed using materials and scraps left over from previous production runs — a practice that both keeps materials out of the landfills and results in one-of-a-kind designs. Weaves, prepared by a highly-trained and well-paid workforce, most of whom work from home, are then brought to a finishing office where the bags are stitched and packaged to ship.
Naghedi bags are intentionally designed to be practical and are offered in elegant, simple, and timeless styles. Bags — in a range of styles — come in multiple sizes and a variety of fashionable colors. And because neoprene is an easy material to care for, the bags can be washed to keep them looking new and fresh for years.
If a bag is damaged or worn out, don’t throw it away! Beginning in the summer of 2023, all used Naghedi bags can be returned in exchange for a discount on a new bag. Old bags are deconstructed, and the materials are rewoven and re-dyed to make a new bag. The goal is zero waste with no scraps going to landfills. Bags range from $225 to $450 and can be found at Naghedinyc.com, Bloomingdale’s, ShopBop, Equinox, Holt Renfrew, and Liberty of London.
We talked to Naghedi about the neighborhood and its influence on her life:
NM: Why did you decide to live in the NoMad area?
SN: We love this neighborhood. We have been here for almost eight years and have seen so much change and growth. It’s also so central to everything like the flower market, Eataly, many other great stores and dining options and of course Madison Square Park!
NM: Why have you chosen to keep your business based in NoMad?
SN: Prior to the pandemic our office was also located in the Nomad neighborhood but now I operate out of my home and it’s still been wonderful being so central for meetings and appointments.
NM: How would you describe the area to those who don’t know it well?
SN: The NoMad neighborhood is one of NYC’s little secrets. It doesn’t have an uptown vibe or a downtown vibe. It’s the best parts of NYC all in one place. It has a small town feel in the big city. I go to the grocery store and run into friends. We go for coffee and the baristas know us by name. We know all the other families with young children in the neighborhood – it’s just a wonderful community.
NM: As a mom, do you use Madison Square Park? If so, any thoughts on that?
SN: Absolutely! We are big supporters of the Park, we contribute to the conservancy frequently and we think it’s one of the best parks in the city. We love the art installations, using the playground with our children, the green spaces in the summer and all the beautiful holiday festivities in the winter.