Inspired by People: Sabina of Olmo Goods

I don't know how we came upon Olmo Goods but I am so glad we did.  Olmo Goods are designed by the dynamic duo Sabina and Sara and made by artisan hands in Bogota, Colombia. 

Clean, luxurious, accessible, structured, natural- all words that come to mind when I think of Sabina and Sara's designs.  They have thought of every detail with each and every purse in their collection.  From the over the shoulder chord to the perfect sizing for every day wear, the Nudo bag is an honest depiction of how well thought out Sara and Sabina are with their brand. 

They are also the nicest human beings alive so we were so excited to sit down with Sabina and learn more about the brand.  If you can only read one part, make sure to check out Sabina's guide to two weeks in Colombia- it's amazing!!!  We will definitely be using this soon...

What inspired you to become an "artisan focused" brand?

I studied bag making in a technical school here in Colombia, where all the factory workers learn to work the leather. There I met amazing people and realized that I wanted to create well-paid and dignifying jobs for them.

What’s your favorite country to travel to?

Besides Colombia, Mexico is just unbelievable. All the art, the people are amazing, the food is always delicious and their beaches (Tulum for example) are a millennial dream.

What’s your favorite place (neighborhood, coffee shop, corner, restaurant, whatever!) in Medellin?

We are definitely fans of Carmen Restaurante – Just look it up, or come have a bite at their restaurant. I can’t describe it, you got to try it yourself

If we have 2 weeks in Colombia- where do we have to HAVE TO visit?

If you came to Colombia, you’ll probably arrive through the capital, Bogotá. There you should definitely stay at least one day and take a trip to the Museum of Gold.  This is a gorgeous museum that showcases all the pre-Columbian gold pieces
and sculptures from the native indigenous that have been found in Colombia. It is a must.

Then I would visit Cartagena and maybe find a cute boutique hotel inside the walled city to stay at and take a day trip to ‘Islas del Rosario’. Then I would go to Santa Marta, probably skip the main city and go directly to the Tayrona National Park. There I would find an ecohotel or if you’re feeling adventurous you can rent a hammock, spend a couple nights there and feel nature in all its glory.

Then I would visit Palomino, a beautiful beach town and then I would change the beach scene and go to Medellín. In Medellín I would go bar hopping, visit the Botero Plaza, where you can see beautiful Fernando Botero sculptures and I would take a day trip to Arví park in Santa Elena. Finally I would take a bus to
Salento, Quindio. A magical town in the middle of the coffee fields of Colombia where you get to visit coffee farms, ride horses, buy the most beautiful artisanal products and walk through the Cocora Valley. A place where you can find the
world’s tallest palm trees, the wax palms.

What’s the next adventure you have planned?

I do not have anything planned yet but I am currently obsessed with Iceland and dying to visit next year. The Blue Lagoon is currently my phone’s wallpaper. Let’s hope the law of attraction works!

Top 3 favorite instagram accounts to follow?

Fashion Advice @Scalingretail
Fan Girl Brand @Loewe
Floral Madness @Doan_ly

If you could have breakfast with anyone in the world, who would it be?

JW Anderson or Jill Sander for sure

We see plants incorporated a lot into your instagram- do you have any favorite plants you love?

All kinds of Caladiums have us dreaming. Specially the Elephant Ear Caladiums and Pink Caladiums

What is a common misconception about Colombia (if there are any?!)

That we are all about drugs and the easy life. Sometimes foreigners come here thinking there are no rules here and find themselves in very uncomfortable situations.

If time could stand still for a day, what would you do?

I would spend it in a beach in Tulum, Mexico. Sipping on a cocktail and listening to perfect beach house music.

The aesthetic of Olmo is so clean and luxurious- how did that develop and what inspired your overall brand aesthetic?

Thank you! We love to be perceived this way. We have worked very hard to make sure every single thing we do conveys that message of freshness and cleanliness. Its such a happy feeling for us.  The aesthetic just came about very organically and spontaneously. It represents the common ground of Sara, my business partner, and I. Where we meet personally and aesthetically. We have always been great art, architecture and
sculpture lovers and Olmo is a way of expressing all of these.

What is your personal favorite Olmo product?

Definitely the Lola Bag

We love that you avoid the use of plastic in your products and packaging.  What led you to make that decision?

At the beginning lots of plastic bags were being used. We would always get a plastic bag with every raw material we bought and get to the workshop with 10 mini plastic bags every day. We would always try to find ways to re-use these but
you get to a point where you don’t want to toss them but can’t store them any longer. So we decided to go plastic free for everything and it has been such a great decision.

Where did the name “Olmo Goods” come from?

To be honest it was kind of a great accident. It doesn’t have some deep meaning story, just a big beautiful coincidence.

What can we expect from Olmo in the future?

We love all things accessories. Definitely men’s accessories are some things we have in the lookout as well as leather jewelry for women.

What does your typical day look like?

Wake up, remember dreams, take a little time off before turning on my phone then checking emails and social media, getting ready and then going to the office to meet with Sara. We will go over the tasks for the day and divide them.My days are all very different, sometimes I’m taking customers, sometimes I have to run to the workshop and make sure everything is going well and answer all their questions. At times I have to go buy raw materials or visit tanneries.

The only thing that is certain is that when you are an entrepreneur you have to wear so many hats and every day has a different challenge.  In the evenings I like to spend time with my mom or my boyfriend, go out to a restaurant or a movie, work out and sleep. Sleeping is my favorite.

Who would you love to have as a Olmo customer?

For me Anne Hathaway is the ultimate Olmo Muse. Specially in “The intern” movie. She’s just so genuine, hardworking, funny, simple and natural but beautiful.