Patricia transformed a single vintage handbag into a legacy of timeless craftsmanship and modern elegance.
With 15 years of bold creativity, storytelling, and a mother-daughter vision, her designs empower women to express every facet of their individuality, proving style is as much about meaning as it is about beauty. Let’s explore Patricia and her brand’s story and vision through this exclusive interview.
After retiring, most people slow down, but in 2010 you launched Patricia Nash Designs. Your mother’s vintage bag was the inspiration to start Patricia Nash Designs. How did that piece specifically influence your decision to build a brand around handbags and heritage craftsmanship?
I honestly thought I would retire, though anyone who knows me laughs at the idea. One day, while going through my mother’s closet, I discovered a beautiful vintage handbag. It inspired me to create something with that same sense of quality, meaning, and memory, but at a price that women like my mom and I could afford.
I’ve always loved fashion, and my years behind the scenes taught me that true style is all about craftsmanship. I knew it could be done beautifully and accessibly, and that’s how Patricia Nash Designs began in 2010.
Leather tooling and floral embossing are signature elements for Patricia Nash Designs. What draws you back to those techniques year after year?
I’m so drawn to the sophistication of these techniques and the incredible skill that artisans have passed down through generations.
Every motif carries meaning, and I love how the leather itself plays a role – the grain, the pressure of the plate – so that no two pieces are exactly alike. Each bag has its own character and identity, which is what makes it so special to me.
The 15th anniversary of Patricia Nash Design is a major milestone. What’s been the most rewarding moment for you as the founder or what business decision are you most proud of?
Reaching our 15th anniversary is truly remarkable. Every day I work to bring my vision of timeless craftsmanship and everyday elegance to life, and there have been so many rewarding moments along the way.
Celebrating this milestone with my daughter, our Chief Operations Officer and Chief Legal Counsel, has been especially meaningful. She’s been with me in spirit since the very beginning, and after forging her own path, she joined the company in her own right as an incredibly accomplished leader. It’s thrilling to see my legacy continue, and I’m excited to pave the way for her to celebrate our 20th and even 30th anniversaries.
Which anniversary collection piece feels most personal to you, and why?
All of my pieces feel like my babies, but this year I re-released some of my original classics: the Verbania frame bag, the Napoli satchel, the Benvenuto tote, and the Marciana crossbody, which was inspired by the bag I discovered in my mother’s closet fifteen years ago.
To thank the customers who made this journey possible, I priced these anniversary editions exactly as they were when I first launched them. So they’re not just a celebration of our 15th anniversary, they’re also a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who has supported Patricia Nash Designs from the beginning.
Q5.Fifteen years later, what’s harder now as CEO than it was at the beginning, and what’s easier
I love my work so much that I don’t really think of it as “hard,” but the world has definitely grown more complex. Recent challenges, from supply chain to merchandising, have tested every part of our business.
Yet every season brings its hurdles, and what defines us is how we meet them: with calm, teamwork, and collaboration, never with stress or anger.
What has become easier is knowing how to prioritize what truly matters. I don’t chase fleeting definitions of success. For me, success is a job well done, the satisfaction of giving my best, and time spent with my family.
Your brand is known as a female-led company and a mother-daughter collaboration. How has working together shaped the vision and values of Patricia Nash Designs?
Jennifer and I complement each other so well: we’re both creative thinkers and pragmatic doers, but we often approach opportunities and challenges from completely different angles. That sparks bigger ideas and stronger solutions every time we collaborate.
We both see the unique space Patricia Nash Designs holds in the market and share a deep understanding of our customer. Together, we’re building more than a brand; we’re creating a kind of sisterhood, something meaningful we hope to pass on to the next generation.
What excites you most about designing for today’s woman compared to when you first started the brand?
Life has changed so much since I first started the brand. Today we’re all digital: our phone is our wallet, and women move daily from work to events, to sports, to after-school activities, and nights out.
Women’s lives are wonderfully complex, and I have deep respect for everything they need to juggle. I love designing with that in mind, constantly listening to feedback and responding to real needs. It keeps me excited; it’s never boring and always evolving. because every season brings new ways to create pieces that truly work for today’s woman.
What role does storytelling play in your design, and how does that resonate with your customers?
Every piece I design begins with a story, something I’ve seen or felt, and travel inspiration plays a huge part in that. For example, our new European Floral Tapestry print was inspired by a wall hanging I discovered in Italy, and Tuscan Fields captures the feeling of walking through a beautiful Florentine meadow.
I want to share those experiences and emotions with our customers, to give them a little of the joy I felt when creating each piece. That storytelling really resonates. At a recent 15th-anniversary celebration I hosted in Knoxville, I met women who’ve become close friends through their love of our brand. Their connections are proof of the emotion and meaning that these designs carry.
Looking ahead, what legacy do you hope Patricia Nash Designs leaves for the next generation of women?
I hope Patricia Nash Designs continues to grow as a true sisterhood, one that celebrates art and craftsmanship and welcomes everyone without exclusivity. I want us to keep innovating and sharing joy in novelty, beauty, and travel, while inspiring women to savor the little moments along the way.
You are in a wide range of retailers. Can you tell me some dream retailers that you might want to work with but have not had the opportunity to yet?
My collection really reflects all sides of my personality: witty, playful, sophisticated, and even a little boho. Because like most women, I can be many things depending on the day. My dream is to keep introducing that spirit to new customers who haven’t yet discovered the brand.
My design aesthetic is so universal that I’ve never met a woman who couldn’t find something in the collection and say, “That’s me!” So the retailers I dream about are those that help us meet women wherever they are, whether that’s specialty boutiques around the world or exciting new lifestyle and fashion destinations: places that allow more women to experience a handbag accessory that can express every facet of who they are.
