Diego Rocha

Diego Rocha is a Brazilian-born handbag designer who started out in accounting in the financial field in Sao Paulo, before he began chasing his dream. His mother was a patternmaker, and he grew up playing with needles, scissors and colorful scraps of cloth. Diego is inspired by interesting skins and animals, influenced by growing up in a country known for its huge variety of unusual wildlife. Before choosing Chicago in 2005, Diego lived in New York, where he perfected his self-taught skills. Creating his own collection, he locked himself in his apartment for six months and experimented with materials, struggling with unsuitable equipment as he taught himself techniques to crystallize his vision. Although his specialty is handbags, he also designs cuffs, wallets, card holders and bags for men.