"At Erda, fourteen women collaborate to bring into being the off the wall ideas I generate. In a difficult market, we have established a distinctive identity by using vivid, texture-rich fabrics, exotic deerskin. and sculptural shapes.
I started making deerskin bags in 1971, first for myself, then for friends. I was only planning to do it until I figured out what to be when I grew up. I made VERY funky bags, loaded with fringe, beadsm and raggedy edges, I had no training and frankly my bags had almost no construction - they were sorta Abstract Expressionist bags. Some styles, updated, are still available.
Today I collect intelligence from the press, the net, and the cosmopolitan world to bring to our shop in Maine, ten miles from the nearest small town. Drawing on the creativity and skills of the group, we've added structure, zippers, pockets and a functionality that embodies the spirit of Erda in a fresh, more up-to-date form.
Erda in ancient times was a goddess of seasons and productivity, a Teutonic version of Mother Ceres. Erda today is a place where people work together with their hands, their hearts and their minds. Erda is creative arrt added to functionality - useful objects that enhance daily living."