When Emily Campos, founder and creative director of Touch of Craft, passed on last November, her daughters Julie Carceller and Jo Ann Kessler lost no time relaunching the company known for its beautiful handcrafted accessories, bags, ornaments and various décor. The result is Touch of Craft Legacy, a refresh of Emily’s classic designs that have been updated with love and care by Jo Ann for a new generation of consumers.
To honor their late mother, Emily Campos, sisters Julie Carceller and Jo Ann Kessler hosted the grand re-launch of Touch of Craft, rebranding it as Touch of Craft Legacy last May 13 at the Manila Polo Club.
Touch of Craft is a Filipino artisanal shop that makes one-of-a-kind handcrafted accessories, bags, ornaments and décor. The company also prides itself for having been able to support countless communities of artisans over the past 30 years, making sure each item they produced is handmade and handled with love and care. With Emily’s death last November, her two daughters have taken the reins of the business and decided to revive their mother’s work. Thus, the addition of the word legacy to the original brand name.
Part of its success is the fact that Touch of Craft Legacy has something for everyone. From the seasonal Christmas-themed items to the various bags, and Frida Khalo-inspired figurines, each of the handmade items have their own story. During the grand relaunch, the featured collection harkens to the classic Touch of Craft signature style with new elements and pieces added by Jo Ann herself.
“We wanted to keep the classic and the traditional designs fused with Jo Ann’s influences. The inspiration always comes from many factors. It may come from travel, music, food, art, ornaments or even an experience from a friend or a story,” says Julie, when asked about the process and what inspires Touch of Craft Legacy. “Everything has a story. There’s always something behind the product and design of what she makes. It has something to do with design, thinking, experience, travel and many more” she adds.
The venture may be billed as a partnership, but Julie is first to admit that she’ll be playing a more supportive role to her sister. Jo Ann will take charge of the design and creative process of the handmade items, still using her mother’s original vision and concept. But, as mentioned earlier, adding her own take on things. “There has always been a collaboration in place. From the bags to the door stoppers, to the reindeer. Since my mom passed on last November, my sister Jo Ann stepped in and added to the designs,” says Julie.
In the coming months, Touch of Craft Legacy plans to start broadening its horizons, say the sisters, picking up where their mother left off. New collections, more pop-up shops, a look-book of current and incoming collections and the much-anticipated conversion of their workshop in Muntinlupa into a dine-and-shop experience are in the works.
For more information on Touch of Craft Legacy, follow them @touchofcraftinc on Instagram. Or visit their facebook page http://facebook.com/touchofcraftlegacy/ for any updates or announcements.
