When talking about black owned luxury handbags, make sure you add fashion designer Maya Winston to your List.
Originally from Jamaica, Maya Winston relocated to the Bronx at age 11 and was primarily raised by his mother, who was a seamstress. Having an older sister who was also a designer made Winston destined for success in the fashion industry.
Prior to the Maya Winston brand being formed, there was “Maya Lawerence,” which was an extension of the brand Terry Winston which celebrity Teyana Taylor has worn before.
After the closing of Terry Winston, to honor his father’s passing by using his first name, Maya chose to switch to designing luxury handbags with the name, “Maya Winston.”
With over a decade of experience under his belt, Winston is still learning and growing in the fashion industry. In an exclusive interview with Fashion Bomb Daily, Winston explained that he is more than just a luxury handbag brand and expressed interest in creating a lifestyle brand that offers a black luxury experience. He stated,
“When you think about Maya Winston don’t just think about luxury handbags, think of luxury period,” expressed Winston. “I might create couches one day, so I do not want to be put into a box when it comes to fashion and being creative- I just want to create luxurious pieces and experiences for the culture,” he further elaborated.
With his luxury handbags worn by celebrities like Angela Simmons, and Draya Michelle, Winston ensures he pays delicate attention to detail.
As an avid learner, who’s always looking to expand his skill set and the quality of his bags, Maya visits the Asia Pacific and Middle East to craft and curate his luxury pieces.
“Quality is so important to me and making my customers feel special,” state Winston. “When you receive a purchase from me, it comes wrapped as a gift with a note of appreciation because I want my brand to exude a luxury experience.”
With four different collections, Winston has a total of 17 handbags that he has designed for his brand. Each collection comes in a variety of styles with his most popular design being the “Small Tote bag” from ‘The OGs’ collection that retails for $200.
Each small tote bag is made of leather and can be held or worn crossbody. Along the front of the bag is the Maya Winston ‘M’ logo paired with a gold or silver hardware strap. The drawstring atop is perfect for securing your personal belongings and this mini design comes in black, pink, red, tiger orange, berry pink, and sunshine yellow.
It doesn’t stop there, you also can shop the small tote bag in crocodile for the same $200 price tag with a wide assortment of different colors such as sterling silver, stone, cranberry red, lilac, and black.
Winston’s vision for his brand is to ultimately be an inspiration for black designers. “The only advice I can give to up and coming designers is to not overthink it and to just do it and stay consistent,” he explained.
Winston wants to continue to change the narrative and pave the way for other black male designers. “My dream collaboration would be with Teyana Taylor and seeing Beyonce wear one of my handbags,” exclaimed Winston.
Photo Credit: IG/Reproduction
At first sight, would you splurge on Maya Winston’s handbags?
