While she first found her love for sewing by making a quilt out of her high school marching band T-shirts, Alexandria resident Leah Buckley has since shifted her passion to handmade pieces most women can’t live without: makeup bags, clutches and travel cases.
From a self-made studio in her home, Buckley cuts large batches of fabric, adheres the pouches and attaches sets of zippers to create high-quality, functional accessories for her brand, Modern Tally.
This spring, Buckley is debuting six new styles of makeup and travel bags for customers both near and far. As for the designs, Buckley purchases fabrics from two women-owned companies—Rifle Paper Co. and Ruby Star Society.
“I was just really into this bold, brushstroke kind of look, and I always like to include one floral in my collections,” Buckley says. “I also don’t mean to make everything navy, but somehow it always ends up that way. I love navy.” What’s more? Buckley can add leather monograms too for just $6, giving each item a personalized touch. // $23-$55
This post originally appeared in our May 2020 print issue. For more stylish finds, subscribe to our weekly Shopping newsletter.
