ArtBag Creations tightens grip on handbag repair industry as Black-owned shop grows global reach
NEW YORK -- A father-son business duo is exemplifying living Black history along Madison Avenue. Their craftsmanship with handbag repair has endured the test of time.
At the northern end of the Madison Avenue shopping corridor, the first Black-owned business on this iconic strip is keeping a foothold. Donald Moore was unemployed when he first walked through the door of ArtBag more than 60 years ago.
"I started at the bottom," said Moore. "When I mean the bottom, I mean the real bottom...cleaning, polishing bags, mopping the floor."
Moore's new boss at the handbag creation and customization shop believed in equal opportunity.
"He saw I was good with my hands," recalled Moore. "He said, 'you wanna learn how to make handbags?' I said, sure."
Moore was more determined than ever to provide a life, and a business, for his family. His son Chris started learning the craft at eight years old.
"He used to come home and make the bags after work," Chris said of his father. "I would go downstairs and help him."
Moore's style eventually attracted the attention of celebrities and wealthy regulars.
"It's invaluable when you can spend that time with, you know, your idol," Chris said.
Moore bought the business for himself in 1993. Today, Chris is officially in charge, with his father as his number one consultant.
"We have a relationship more like brothers than father and son," said Chris.
The family legacy extends to clientele as well.
"I remember clients who were pregnant with their children in 1993, and now they're coming in with their daughters and their grandchildren," Chris remarked.
Nearly anything is possible if it is worth it to you. During my visit, a crocodile clutch was getting a new handle, dyed the perfect red to match.
Many of the refurbished purses are worth thousands, like one bag that took four different paint colors to create the perfect blend of burgundy.
The pieces that come to ArtBag have often seen faulty repairs before their arrival.
Showing an old Gucci bag, Chris said, "You can see here that there's a second row of stitches...We stitch in the same stitch holes as opposed to creating a second row of stitching."
While cobblers and other craftsmen have closed during the pandemic, ArtBag has tightened its grip on the handbag industry, with an online presence that has given the Moores a global reach.
"I'm getting customers from Iowa, Nebraska," Chris said, "which I never would have gotten had I not started the digital platform."
Their reputation shows quality never goes out of style.
