Writer / Nancy Hammerstrom
A local artist has created a luxury genuine leather handbag and accessory line made for those who desire wearing fashion statements with intention and inspired by supporting women’s health.
The Katina Washington Collection, featured on walmart.com, features a variety of designer products, from satchel, bucket and Boston-style bags to crossbody, messenger, mini bags, totes and wallets.
“I wanted to have a wide range from the simplest bag to something edgy,” says Katina Washington. “When it comes to mental health and mental capacity, that’s what this handbag line was birthed out of. It’s about love, and we want it to be a reminder that you’re to look as good on the inside as you are on the outside. A conversation piece that will help the economy in Noblesville, build jobs and start a conversation about mental health, which a lot of people shy away from.”
Washington is no stranger to entrepreneurship. A native of the Far Eastside in Indianapolis, she started SHE. Event Indy Co. 12 years ago. SHE, which stands for she has everything, is a nonprofit organization that promotes and supports women- and minority-owned small businesses in Indianapolis by offering master classes, business courses and financial literacy programs. In addition, she created SHE.Experience Shoppes, a Black-owned department store featuring various items from apparel to skin care.
Under Washington’s leadership, SHE. Event Indy received the Governor’s Entrepreneurship Award, the 2021 Love Thy Neighborhood People’s Choice Award and the Jefferson Award for Multiplying Good in 2020. The Jefferson Awards are the highest and most prestigious honor in the U.S. for recognizing public and community service.
After Washington felt ready for a change, she researched cities in Indiana that are intensely connected to arts and culture.
“Noblesville came up,” she says. “I contacted Noblesville Creates (an arts organization). I moved here in March. I just love my neighborhood.”
Washington fell in love with handbags when she was a little girl while shopping with her mother at Block’s, a historic regional department store in Indianapolis founded in 1874 by William H. Block, before becoming Lazarus, then Macy’s.
In 2021, she began creating her own bags, and the following year she launched her first studded handbag. Her complete collection includes several best-selling products, including the Outside Recovery Bag in Apple Green, THE Elevation Crossbody, and Washington’s personal favorite, the LOVE Satchel Bag inspired by her late mother, who adored the color red.
Each bag delivered comes in a box with a ribbon wrapped around it and includes a personalized note on a card meant to inspire women and remind them of the importance of their mental health, which contributes to the many five-star ratings on walmart.com.
“Each person on our reviews talks about the unboxing experience and how it made them feel, more than the actual bag,” Washington says.
In addition, “One thing that is exclusive about our line is there’s only 50 of each style,” she adds.
Washington was chosen as a featured artist at the Stephenson House, a historic home and gallery space inside the Noblesville Creates campus, for her creation of the frequently sold-out Capacity Bag, a black, sleek, carry-all that blends timeless elegance with everyday function.
“The premium leather feels luxurious, the structure is elegant and the design is both professional and practical,” says Denola Burton, an online reviewer on the Capacity Bag. “It comfortably accommodates my business essentials, including my laptop, while maintaining a polished appearance. What makes this bag truly special is the meaning behind it. Katina Washington has created more than a beautiful accessory. She has designed a symbol of strength, reminding women to stand confidently on their own while honoring their personal capacity. The vibrant green interior is a thoughtful touch that reflects growth, renewal and the richness of what we carry within ourselves.”
Washington plans to sell additional leather accessories, including key chains and wallets. Her upcoming fall collection features additional crossbody, satchel and tote bags.
For more information, go to katinawashington.com.
