Stitch and Tickle is a line of handmade leather bags and accessories designed by Sophie Truong. All items are made one by one in her studio at the Boston Center for the Arts, in the city’s historic South End neighborhood.
Born in France, Sophie studied International Business in Paris before moving to Boston in the early 90’s. While working in the corporate and nonprofit world (her last job was with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston for 10 years as a Product Development Manager and Buyer), she started feeling the pull of a more creative field and she discovered art making in her early 30’s. Sophie used found textiles and unconventional sewing techniques in her artwork and it gradually became clear that fiber arts was her medium.
A recurring theme in her work revolved around hyper-consumerism and the waste our society generates. So it seemed natural that, when investigating her own business, she would choose to do something ethically sound by making handmade items, locally. In 2011, while unable to find a bag that would fit her taste and needs, she started playing with leather and Stitch and Tickle was born! Truong’s process creating bags is the same as in her artwork: it is intuitive and tactile, so the leather she disovers always dictates what the final product will be. Yet, all bags have the same qualities: they are simple, beautiful, functional and timeless.
