Shopping with social responsibility: Nena & Co
I have never been a purse girl. My #1 fashion obsession has always been shoes, closely followed by clothes, specifically dresses and skirts. Even as a small child, shoes were important to me; I can remember a pair of red boots I had as a kid that I was obsessed with and wanted to wear all the time. Over the years I have liked brands like Dooney & Bourke and Kate Spade, but most of my purses came from either a Kate Spade sale/ outlet or stores like Target or Charming Charlie (which is sadly no more).
Back in November, I saw a post on a fellow Rothy’s lover’s Instagram where she was wearing this really amazing backpack. Intrigued, I asked her where she had gotten it from, and thus my initiation into the world of Nena & Co. and Guatemalan huipil bags began.
Guatemala is, like many countries in that part of the world, impoverished. My abuelita is from Nicaragua and I know through her stories a bit of what it is like to grow up in such a place. While beautiful, many places do not offer many job opportunities, especially for women, which is why many (like my grandmother) leave their countries for a different life. But for those who stay, finding a way to support their families is critical. The Guatemalan people, along with many other Central Americans, have been weaving huipils for generations. These beautiful garments have vibrant colors and special meanings that embody the traditions of their culture. Although bags made from huipils can be found in pretty much any Central American market, the start up costs necessary to make these bags with higher quality materials and the platform to advertise them to consumers outside of the country is a challenge.
Thus the need for a company like Nena & Co. It’s founder, Ali Hynek, says that she was enamored with her Guatemalan heritage growing up and loved learning about it from her mom and her own abuelita. Since 2013, she has grown a company that truly stands for social responsibility. They now have a team of Guatemalan artisans working with them, able to support their families through making bags and accessories for Nena. Most of them are women, who can work from home and care for their families at the same time. If you follow Nena on social media or are in their Facebook group, you can tell they really care about the artisans they work with.
Once I heard about Nena, I went to their website and the very first thing I noticed was that there wasn’t any product to buy. The site mentioned that new product usually “dropped” on Wednesdays and Fridays, but that I should join the Nena Society group on Facebook to get access to exclusive information and sales. I immediately joined the FB page to see what it was all about.
Joining that group was a gateway to realize that like my other obsessions, Lilly Pulitzer and Rothy’s, Nena & Co. had an active and thriving Buy, Sell, Trade (BST) market on Facebook. Before I knew it, I was in three or four BST groups, scrolling through discussions and posts, trying to learn everything I could about this amazing brand.
What I discovered was that 1) scoring a Nena bag is a sport that requires fast fingers and fast Internet because they literally sell out in seconds; and 2) I might have better luck finding a bag I liked on the BST pages, which would allow me to support this movement, but also stay within a monthly budget that I have set for myself.
After a lot of searching, I finally found a bag I loved at a price I could afford. Holding that first Nena bag in my hands was such a good feeling. I was so impressed with the quality of the leather; I mean the bag smelled good. But most importantly, I was blown away by the beauty of the Guatemalan weaving on the huipil. I have since learned that the huipil of this bag is called “stained glass,” and I can totally see why. It is fitting that this would be the first bag I was really drawn to as I have always had a love for stained glass windows, especially in churches. This bag reminds me of the breathtaking window inside the Sainte-Chapelle that I saw this past summer in Pairs (I literally gasped when I walked up the stairs and it opened into the room with the windows) and makes me so happy. Part of the Nena and huipil bag world is adding “flair” to your bag, so I made this one my own with handmade fringe from a small business called “On The Fringe” and my “power woman” pins, featuring Wonder Woman, RBG, and a “feminist” banner.
The bag I am carrying is called a medium convertible day bag (MCDB) and the coolest thing about it is that it can be worn on the shoulder, as a cross body, or as a backpack. I honestly have it on as a backpack most of the time because it is just so easy to run around with! This is the original, older style Nena made (affectionately called OG in the FB groups). They now make a different style called “The Perfect Bag,” and I have a comparison post on the two in the works! The older styles can still be found in abundance in the FB BST groups, so head there if you’re looking for one exactly like mine!
It has now been about four months since I first discovered Nena & Co. The community of (mostly) women who support this brand has been amazing. I’ve learned so much, made some friends, and fallen down a pretty great rabbit hole. If you’re interested in Nena & Co. and don’t know where to start, you can always leave me a comment or DM me on Instagram! I would be happy to share my love of this awesome brand.
Photos by: Alexandria Dominique Photography
