ABOUT
EVERYTHING IN BAGTAZO'S COLLECTIONS ARE LIMITED. SOME STYLES ARE HANDMADE OR HAND-FINISHED IN BAGTAZO'S STUDIO. EVERYTHING ELSE IS MADE WITH MANUFACTURERS IN THE US.
BAGTAZO IS A FILIPINO SURNAME INHERITED FROM THE DESIGNER’S MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER, A WOMAN WHO WALKS THE LINE BETWEEN TRADITION AND MODERNITY.
EST 2014
THE DESIGNER’S MOTHER (FAR RIGHT) AND HER SIBLINGS STATIONED AT A US NAVAL BASE IN JAPAN BEFORE IMMIGRATING TO SAN FRANCISCO IN 1959
THE DESIGNER
I HAVE BEEN MAKING JEWELRY AND TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS SINCE I WAS 5 YEARS OLD. I GREW UP IN A SMALL BEACH TOWN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. MY MOTHER IS FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND MY FATHER IS IRISH-AMERICAN FROM GEORGIA. I ALSO HAD A LONG TERM BABYSITTER FROM EL SALVADOR WHO TAUGHT ME SPANISH. THIS HYPHENATED IDENTITY GREATLY SHAPED ME AS A CHILD.
I STARTED WORKING IN FASHION WHEN I WAS 17 YEARS OLD. I WORKED AT A SURF SHOP WHERE THE OWNER (A LITTLE OLD LADY FROM JAPAN) CUT AND SEWED BESPOKE SURF TRUNKS. I HELPED HER ORGANIZE PATTERNS AND LEARNED TO HAND-CUT FABRIC. FROM HERE I KEPT WORKING IN FASHION, EVENTUALLY MOVING TO LOS ANGELES, WHERE I LEARNED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION.
IN LOS ANGELES, I STUDIED PHILOSOPHY AND (VISUAL) ANTHROPOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, EARNING TWO BACHELORS DEGREES IN 2009.
WHILE I WAS IN COLLEGE I STILL WORKED IN PRODUCTION, AND CONTINUE TO DO SO TODAY AS A FREELANCE CONSULTANT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES WHO PRODUCE APPAREL AND ACCESSORIES IN THE UNITED STATES THROUGH BAGTAZO'S SISTER COMPANY, SHALLOW FASHION.
SINCE I ESTABLISHED BAGTAZO IN 2014, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MELD ALL MY INTERESTS. BECAUSE MY PRODUCTS ARE MADE IN USA AND CREATED IN LIMITED QUANTITIES, I FEEL THAT I AM HELPING REVERSE MINDLESS CONSUMERISM WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING OUR DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
I CURRENTLY LIVE AND WORK IN NEW YORK WITH MY HUSBAND, DANIEL KINE. HE CALLS ME COCO (AND SO CAN YOU).
-COURTNEY BAGTAZO
ANYTHING MADE outside of MY STUDIO IS PRODUCED WITH people that i consider ESSENTIAL TO BAGTAZO.
I am proud to say that I manufacture in the USA, and that I work with a network of small businesses to make this happen. From paper printers and leather sellers, to sewing houses, hat factories, and metalsmiths, everyone I work with is independently owned and operated.
I feel strongly about working with manufacturers in the US because I believe that factory workers are the glue that holds our entire society and economy together.
I HAVE ALSO BEEN AN ENVIRONMENTALIST SINCE I WAS A CHILD. FOR THIS REASON, I WORK WITH MATERIALS OF VERIFIABLE SOURCES, AND CONTINUALLY STRIVE TOWARDS BUILDING THE MOST SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS I CAN.
WHILE BAGTAZO MAY CHANGE OVER THE YEARS, THESE ARE MY CORE VALUES. FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, THIS IS MY PROMISE TO MYSELF, MY WORKING PARTNERS AND ALL BAGTAZO CUSTOMERS FOREVER AND EVER.
AMEN.
-COCO
GRANDMA TESS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DURING THE 60S
BAGTAZO DONATES 10% OF ANNUAL SALES TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD, THE ACLU & THE ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION.
(BECAUSE SELLING AND CONSUMING GOODS aren't A MEANS TO AN END).
