The Diaspora Is Dripping! 22 Caribbean Bag Brands Bringing Culture & Craftsmanship To Your Closet - Page 13
Explore a vibrant collection of 22 Caribbean bag brands that seamlessly blend fashion and culture, perfect for elevating your closet and inspiring your spirit.
Source: Porschia Thomas for French Toast / Photo by Jay Valmorés
Caribbean carnival season is now in full swing, with Toronto’s Caribana and Grenada’s Spicemas having recently wrapped up. Now, Notting Hill Carnival and Brooklyn’s Labor Day Parade are right around the corner, so what better time and reason to represent your roots than by rocking a bag created by a Caribbean brand?
Bajan beauty Rihanna always shows love to her heritage and homeland, perfectly exemplifying the paradox of Caribbean culture. While we play hard, we work even harder. One day the billionaire businesswoman is decked out in full feathers and Grand Kadooment regalia at Barbados’ Crop Over Carnival. The next, she’s rocking casual swimwear while enjoying a tour of the island with her three adorable children. Always one to keep it real, RiRi skipped the chauffeur service and instead travelled with her family on a traditional yellow minibus, stopping along the way at a local street vendor for some fresh coconuts.
So, when the bad gyal sang, “work, work, work, work, work,” those weren’t just lyrics, they were words she lives by—whether she’s in Mommy or mogul mode. They are words all Caribbean people live by, whether you were born in the islands or a descendant of someone who was.
The hard work, entrepreneurship, and creativity of Caribbean people are highlighted by a slew of bag brands founded, owned, and designed by people throughout the diaspora. From French Toast’s feel-good and functional weekend totes, which are infused with Jamaican-inspired playful patterns, tothe history of Haitian oral tradition interwoven in the hand-beaded clutches by Bien Abye, with these Caribbean-owned brands you’re not just wearing a bag, you’re carrying and curating culture.
Here are 22 Caribbean bag brands to complete your closet and feed your conscience.
After years of working on the corporate side of the fashion industry, first-generation Canadian-Jamaican Porschia Thomas’ textile company permanently closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the setback, Thomas leaned into her industrious Caribbean roots and decided to launch French Toast, a brand of artisanal bags and jackets that she designs and curates. The handmade pieces prioritize craftsmanship, color, and community. Influenced by her Jamaican heritage, French Toast uses vibrant colors and playful prints to bring happiness to everyday life.
2. Petit Kouraj – Haiti
After traveling to Haiti in 2018, Petit Kouraj founder Nasrin Jean-Baptiste decided to create a line of bags that weren’t only stylish but also sustainably produced, so she established the luxury bag company. She honors the Caribbean country from which her parents were born by naming each bag after one of Haiti’s breathtaking beaches.
3. Fiori – Dominican Republic
Made in the Dominican Republic, Fiori’s structured leather handbags combine everyday use and designer aesthetics. The brand’s best feature? You can customize your bag by adding initials or choosing your favorite color from one of their jaw-dropping jewel tones.
4. Sagaboi – Trinidad
Sagaboi “means full brother or real brother. Someone you claim as kin,” according to the luxury brand’s website. Their leather bags use bold colors to showcase vivid hand-painted island life, from rum bars to serene sandy scenery.
5. No Rehearsal – Curaçao
Founder Stephanie Hasham’s affinity for slow fashion inspired No Rehearsal, a unique line of everyday accessories and bags made from locally sourced, high-quality materials. Combining technology and fashion, the brand’s one-of-a-kind pieces don’t just serve looks, but also serve as wearable art.
7. Pierre Laborde – Haiti
Established in 2008, Pierre Laborde’s design philosophy is “vintage quality with modern sensibility.” These eye-catching bags feature intricate detailing such as beads and brass, as well as a range of rich textures, including cowhide, lambskin, and python.
8. The Paradise Suite – Bermuda
For Damon DeGraff, the founder and creative director of The Paradise Suite, the luxury brand is more than just island-inspired textured leather bags; it’s about a state of mind and an experience.
9. Galtigua – Antigua & Barbuda
Pronounced “gyal-tee-ga,” Galtigua’s artisanal eco-friendly bags showcase African and Caribbean heritage with minimalist style.
10. Sassy V. Collectibles – St. Kitts & Nevis
Handmade in St. Kitts and Nevis, bags by Sassy V. Collectibles are bold, playful, and attention-grabbing. From funky feathers to feminine florals to leopard print, as the brand name indicates, these bags require a bit of sass.
11. Meme Bete – St. Lucia
Meme Bete’s founder, Taribba do Nascimento, is a St. Lucian designer who developed a passion for the art of leathercraft while living in Ethiopia and training in Italy. The handmade bags combine wax prints and madras to showcase African aesthetics and Caribbean flavor.
12. KAISO – Barbados
Made in New Zealand and inspired by childhood memories of Barbados in the late 1970s, Summer Aro launched KAISO in 2018. KAISO’s handbags feature high-quality leather and structural, minimalist modern design exemplified by the brand’s signature Griot bag.
13. MayaBags – Belize
The idea for MayaBags began with a beautiful butterfly embroidery gifted to Judy Bergsma, who worked for The Nature Conservancy, by Jovita Sho, a local Belizean woman. Along with five more artisans from different villages in the Maya Mountains of Belize, the duo founded MayaBags in 1999. The business aimed to preserve traditional Maya handwork skills and empower local women to earn income for their households. The result: Gorgeous handcrafted bags that mean much more than just a fashion statement.
14. Brandon Blackwood NYC – Jamaica
Brandon Haughton-Blackwood is a first-generation Jamaican-American designer born in Brooklyn, New York, who often credits his Caribbean roots with influencing his work ethic, as well as the brand’s designs and styles. For example, he named his first Brandon Blackwood NYC bag “The Portmore” after the Jamaican city.
15. House of Yas – Cuba
When Yas Gonzalez immigrated from Cuba to Miami, the heaviest luggage she carried was the intangible sentimental souvenirs from her Caribbean homeland. So, it’s no surprise that House of Yas is described as “memory you can wear.” Established in 2010, the fashion brand pays homage to Cuba’s rich history with items like the Havana City Tote Bag and the Celia Cruz Card Holder.
16. Bien Abye
Carefully crafted using traditional Haitian hand-beading techniques, which are passed down through oral tradition, Bien Abyé bags come in a variety of sizes and styles that reflect the island’s vibrant culture and lifestyle.
17. Cal & Liv Designs – Guyana
Cal & Liv Designs’ luxury beaded bags are “handcrafted with love.” Made in Guyana, these bags are equal parts classy and cutesy, perfect for a formal occasion like a prom or wedding or instantly zhuzhing up a more casual ensemble.
18. TJM Designs – Trinidad And Tobago
Made in Tobago, bags by TJM Designs feel like a wearable Soca song. Owner Triscilla Joseph-Myers creates uniquely crafted bags based on the customers’ needs and preferences, incorporating lively patterns and dynamic designs that embody the essence of the Caribbean country.
19. Curves by Sean Brown
Sean Brown was born in Toronto to Jamaican parents and describes his family’s experience as the “Standard immigrant story.” His lifelong love of art and fashion has culminated in his Curves tote bag being hailed as the must-have accessory for Summer 2026 among Black women. Launched in 2024 as part of Brown’s Curves brand, the knit tote features a functional design, is easily customizable, and, best of all, is sold at an affordable price point. That is, if you’re able to snag one, because the viral bags are often sold out.
20. Karibali – Dominica
“Karabali” or similar variations of the word refer to a type of drum or cultural ritual associated with African music and dance. Handmade and handwoven in Dominica, Karabali bags are ethically produced using the finest natural materials. These stylish bags merge boho chic style with African aesthetics.
21. Designs By Fiona Kimberly – Jamaica
Designs By Fiona Kimberly’s bags feature rope-woven accents with wooden handles and tasseled details that also incorporate red, green, and gold, the iconic colors associated with Rastafari. Perfectly pairing relaxing resort wear with Jamaica’s flashy and fashion-forward style, you can go from the beach straight to the bashment rocking a bag by Designs By Fiona Kimberly.
22. Caribe Sol – Costa Rica
Caribe Sol’s handmade bags are made with sustainable processes and ethical production in Costa Rica’s Caribbean jungle. These unique and creative bags experiment with textiles, catchy colors, and daring designs.
