Meet Holly McClintock: Handbag designer and leather craftsman

We had the good fortune of connecting with Holly McClintock and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Holly, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
I live for the moment I get to watch someone fall in love with something iv’e made. I get to stand back and say nothing while they turn it over in their hands and run to find a mirror so they can see themselves holding it. When someone has that reaction to a thing that you did you know you’ve done your job right.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m really just nuts about bags. I’m always asking myself what a bag even is and what it can do, and its questions like these that keep me excited to do what I do. Bags are one of the few wearable objects that are unconstrained in form – they can be any size, any shape, any material. They don’t have to be comfortable or functional – they don’t even need to hold anything at all. A bag can just be something that you hold in your hand and sling over your shoulder. A bag can change everything about how you carry yourself and how you move through life, like a giant ass tote that you swing around when you walk or a tiny top top handle you let dangle from your wrist.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Obviously we’d have to spend a day in the fashion district, it’s probably my favorite place in the city and where I end up spending the most time. We’d poke our heads into different fabric shops, grab a giant cup of mango and watermelon and wander through Santee Alley looking at toys and shoes and clothes. We’d hop in the car and drive down to the Portuguese Bend Reserve for my favorite hike outside LA. Unfortunately the last year has taken a toll on a lot of my favorite spots – the Museum of Jurassic Technologies is temporarily closed and my favorite dance spot Oil Can Harry’s is gone as well. At the end of the day we’d probably spend a lot of time hanging out grilling in my backyard and goofing around in my garage studio.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to the job I quit to do this. I was working in sign and display fabrication and I was crawling out my skin – I had a lot of pent up energy that really paid off when I finally gave myself the time and the tools to start my own brand. I also think that any creative who is dedicated to learning and mastering a craft can benefit tremendously from tedious and meticulous work. Even though it drove me crazy at the time it was so humbling, I did come to respect the kind of time and energy it really takes to make a thing.

Website: https://www.spoilbrand.me/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spoil______/