OUR STORY
FROM WRECKAGE TO REVOLUTIONARY IDEAL
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.
Determined to create great jobs and a 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
HAITI IS OUR MUSE
Now, with each collection, we honor the ancestral wisdom, talent, and perseverance Julie found in the people of Haiti.
At our core, we believe in the power of thoughtful design, well-intentioned and carefully crafted goods, and the power we each hold as consumers. That's why we are proud to take fashion forward by offering truly meaningful choice. When you choose Deux Mains, you choose safe working conditions, a living wage, health insurance, and access to education for Haitian people.
You choose a Fair Trade, solar-powered, women-owned factory. You choose found or made materials, traditional craft methods and a circularity mindset. You choose high quality, timeless designs that can become wardrobe staples for years. You choose fashion that's designed to do good.
STATEMENT PIECES+ SUSTAINABLE PROCESS
We built our business to create empowering jobs in Haiti and share the island's incredible craftsmanship with the world.“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.
We believe you should have access to sustainable luxury fashion pieces that align with your values. That's why your Deux Mains premium leather goods are carefully crafted with an artisanal finish that will last for years to come. Thanks to this island's boundless creativity, we are weaving new beginnings with every design. With every collaboration, we strengthen communities.
Everything we make and do has fairness stitched in. This is not a solo pursuit. Your involvement matters. And we're grateful you're here.
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.