In Their Words: Casa de Iyari

Information
A woman sells hand-crafted leather handbags at a pop-up store.
Carmen Flores displays Casa de Iyari's unique leather goods at the Opening Ceremony for the City of Portland's Welcoming Week 2022.

Through Casa de Iyari, owner Carmen Flores wants to reclaim space for indigenous artisans from her native Jalisco, who traditionally have crafted excellent leather handbags and accessories for hundreds of years. "Iyari" means "heart" in Wixárika, an indigenous Mexican language. Carmen has made it her mission to expand the markets for indigenous artisans to preserve their cultural heritage and build a direct connection between creators and customers.

Carmen is a native of Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico, a mother of three, and the first college graduate in her family. She came to Portland in the early 80s, to live with her aunt and grandmother. She has worked for Portland Public Schools for over 20 years and currently works at the same school she attended as a child, Bridger Elementary School.

Carmen has always loved the leatherwork of the artisans in her native Chapala. Starting Casa de Iyari was an opportunity to provide for her family and stay connected with the artisans in her hometown.

“Crafts are getting lost; artisans can’t make a living in this mass-produced world when they are priced out and can’t get a fair wage for their hard work,” Carmen says. “These are beautiful products, and we should be proud to wear them every day.”

A hand-tooled, red leather handbag.
Image by Diego G Diaz Photography

In a world full of identical, mass-produced goods, she wanted to provide something unique and special. The hand-sculpted patterns and layered color washes make every single handbag or accessory an individual work of art. Whenever Carmen opens a container, the strong smell of leather excites you for the sight of beautiful authentic hand-crafted bags.

Someday, Carmen hopes to combine her passion for teaching and her cultural heritage to build schools where people in both Mexico and the US can learn these crafts and ensure their survival.