Introducing B. May Bags
We once again have to give our wonderful alumna Katie Coslov credit for our newest bag line, B. May. I think she was looking for new lines for Mint Collective when she came across B. May. She thought these bags might work better for us than for her store and connected us to the company. Katie has impeccable taste, so of course, the bags are gorgeous. I knew right away after I saw it that I wanted to write the line.
I basically carry two types of bags personally - either a tote bag big enough for my laptop and loads of other junk I lug around or a clutch if I am going out. B. May has such a great selection of both styles. They have tons of shapes, and you get to customize your selection from leather samples since they are all made to order. They have loads and loads of swatches of the most beautiful suedes, leather, and even skins. What really attracted me to the line what that they are made in the United States. I believe in supporting American manufacturing and try to buy as many things made in the United States as is possible. The only problem I found with this line's origin story was that they were from Michigan. Being from Ohio, I tend to pass negative judgment on all things Michigan, or as we Ohioans call it in a derisive generic manner, "that state up north." All jokes aside, the quality and craftsmanship of these bags are exquisite. You can tell when you hold a bag how well made it is, and you know quickly the quality of the leathers.
The owner, Barbara May, has a Bachelor of Fine Art in woven textiles and started her career as a pillow designer. Originally from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, she began to work in leathers and wanted to move back to her home state. She ended up buying an old car dealership outside of Petoskey, Michigan - way up in the northern part of the lower peninsula - and that is where she makes all her bags by hand, in addition to housing her retail space.
We are so happy to carry the line and can't wait for spring to arrive as well. They are already busy in Michigan making our spring bags!
