What happens when an environmental lawyer trades the courtroom for the world of fashion? For Jimena Suarez, founder of From Sentient, it means creating vegan handbags that blend Mexican craftsmanship, innovative materials, and ethical values—without sacrificing style. Sixteen years after going vegan, she saw a gap in the market for beautiful, high-quality accessories that align with her values.

Her path took her from advocating for gender equality and animal rights to studying social entrepreneurship at Berkeley, where From Sentient took root. Today, her brand redefines sustainable luxury through thoughtful design and artisan collaboration.

Key Takeaways:

• Desirability Drives Success: Purpose alone isn’t enough—people must want the product.
  
  
  
• Innovation Takes Time: Like the iPhone, great design evolves through research, iteration, and patience.
  
  
  
• Craft + Ethics: Partnering with skilled artisans transforms vegan materials into luxurious, culturally rich handbags.
  
  
  

🎧 Listen now for a story of innovation, ethics, and style converging in fashion’s future.

Our Guest:
 Jimena Suarez is the founder of From Sentient, a Mexican-based vegan handbag brand merging ethics with aesthetics. Formerly an environmental lawyer, she collaborates with artisans trained in traditional leather craftsmanship to create elegant, innovative vegan bags like the flagship Raíz (“roots”) collection.

#WomenInBusiness #FashionInnovation #VeganHandbags #SocialEntrepreneurship #HandbagDesigner101 #MaterialInnovation #LuxuryAccessories

Host Emily Blumenthal is a handbag industry expert, author of Handbag Designer 101, and founder of The Handbag Awards. Known as the “Handbag Fairy Godmother,” Emily also teaches entrepreneurship at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is dedicated to celebrating creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of building iconic handbag brands.

Find Handbag Designer 101 Merch, HBD101 Masterclass, one-on-one sessions, and opportunities to book Emily Blumenthal as a speaker at emilyblumenthal.com. 

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