BAGS THAT CARRY MORE THAN YOUR ESSENTIALS
Youe purchase creates dignified work and helps a woman in Haiti provide for her family.
"I dont't want water. I need a job"
Deux Mains was created in a time of disaster, after an earthquake destroyed Haiti. In 2010 Deux Mains founder and creative director Julie Colombino-Billingham was inspired to respond differently by a woman living in a tent who said, "I dont want any water, but I need a job."Determined to create great jobs for women in Haiti and redefine what sustainable luxury means, Deux Mains became a brand for people who understand that fashion can be both beautiful and kind.
Every piece is ethically made in our fair-trade factory, where artisans earn living wages and build sustainable livelihoods through dignified work. We believe that true luxury isn’t about logos, it’s about craftsmanship, integrity, and connection.
Photagrapher: Jean Oscar
What your purchase does:
When you buy from Deux Mains, you’re not just getting a handbag. You are:
- Creating fair-wage jobs in Haiti
- Supporting women artisans and their families
- Contributing to education + stability for children
- Investing in a local economy that lasts
- Choosing safe working conditions, access to education for Haitian people + health insurance
- Championing a Fair Trade, women-owned brand This isn’t fast fashion. This is fashion that changes lives
Why your choice matters:
“Deux Mains” means "two hands" in French—because behind every piece we produce, there is an artisan who is professionally trained to handcraft beautiful leather goods from responsibly sourced materials. But this only works if you choose it. Every purchase is a decision:
- To support ethical fashion
- To invest in people over fast production
- To be part of something bigger than a product. You are not just a customer. You are part of the impact. Carry something that carries meaning
FROM LOSS TO LEGACY
In the wake of Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, Julie Colombino-Billingham left behind everything she knew to answer an impossible call. What she found was heartbreak and a new beginning.
From Loss to Legacy tells the remarkable true story of how compassion, courage, and creativity built a fashion brand from the rubble, proving that hope and dignity can outlast disaster.All book proceeds will go to REBUILD globally, a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting poverty in Haiti through education and job training.
Meet the Founder
Julie Colombino-Billingham is a first-generation Italian American with a diverse background ranging from professional dancer and aerialist to MBA trained in international disaster. Her inspiration for fashion is rooted in the beauty and extremities of Haiti, where she learned her first lesson from the women she encountered there: "I don't need water, I need a job." In response, Julie created a different kind of fashion business focused on sustainable luxury goods that are better for both people and the planet.Fueled by the strength of Haitian people, Deux Mains evolved into a job creation hub where artisans are valued, and each collection is intelligently designed, made, and manufactured in our solar-powered Port-au-Prince factory.
Julie dreams of balancing the present reality with the possibilities of an economically free and healthy Haiti by offering the world thoughtfully woven bags with multi functional uses and fashion accessories handmade from quality leathers.