R.Riveter x A Blonde Escapes

This collaboration is one I have only dreamed of until recently, and I am absolutely thrilled to share the details with you!

As a military spouse, living in Southern Pines, North Carolina, it is essentially my ‘duty’ to know and love R.Riveter. Don’t worry, if you aren’t a military spouse nor live in this area, this still applies to you. You see, this brand represents all that is INCREDIBLE about the military and military spouse community. When I first moved here, one of the things I noticed right away, was that everyone was carrying a bag, perfectly crafted with gorgeous leather detail that read “R.Riveter“. I sincerely mean, everyone, too. I even recall a funny story, where someone was bragging about their Chanel bag, and another girl frankly said “nobody here cares about Chanel, we all wear R.Riveter” and I nearly burst out laughing. It is true – but we don’t wear them because they are “trendy”, though they are, we wear them because they represent something bigger, coupled with the fact that they are incredibly well made and beautiful. We are also quite lucky, as R.Riveter’s Flagship store is located right in downtown Southern Pines!

I own multiple R.Riveter products (the Corbin, the Patton, the Whittle, and the Wallet, to name a few items, are all in my daily use). Both of my dogs also wear R.Riveter leather dog collars …. safe to say I dig this company. You can see the heirloom product R.Riveter made for me in the photo below – more details on that later!

FYI
You can get 10% off your purchase with the code ESCAPE at checkout!

So, let me tell you all about this company, their experience on Shark Tank, their connection with our community, and their unique collection of bags and other items!

Who Is R.Riveter?

R.Riveter was created by two military spouses, Lisa Bradley and Cameron Cruise, who were determined to create opportunities for other military spouses; a community often forgot about in terms of their struggle to acquire and maintain meaningful employment. As a military spouse, I can attest to the fact that our lifestyle is complicated. We move frequently, live alone a great deal of the time (meaning parents find themselves in a single-parent situation very often), and often live far away from major Universities or city-centers.

Lisa and Cameron wanted to build something special for both service members and their families. That is where R.Riveter was born – two smart, strong, and independent women with $4,000 in newly purchased sewing instruments, out to make a difference, one bag at a time. Named after Rosie the Riveter, this company began to make waves, and these women would go on to create something that would make a difference in countless lives.

A successful kick-starter campaign in 2014, followed by the opening of their flagship store here in Southern Pines in 2015, and then followed by a successful appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2016, where they walked away with a deal with Mark Cuban, has made the company into what it is today.

These handbags are carefully created by military spouses working remotely all over the country, providing employment to over 100 ‘Riveters’ around the world! You can even learn more about each team member on their website, and when you purchase your bag, remember to check the tag to see which Riveter had a hand in creating your bag. I should also mention, in light of the current global pandemic, R.Riveter has created a movement to produce masks, with their template, even providing incentives for those who assist!

If you needed another reason to love their products, each bag is named after a historical figure – the Naomi, for example is named after Mrs. Naomi Parker. The Patton was named after Mrs. Beatrice Patton, and so on.

Owning Their Roots

Now that you know the companies roots, this will carry more weight. I had two very special bags made for me last year at R.Riveter’s flagship store in Southern Pines. My own opportunity to have the company I love so much, create an heirloom bag, out of something very meaningful to me – Adam’s military uniform.

R. Riveter handmade a Patton and a Whittle out of Adam’s dress green military uniform (he no longer needs it, promise .. but if he did, he would be missing half a pant leg, haha). The process was personal, and perfect. I know many military families, including many gold star families, who brought in military heirloom items, and now are able to keep their loved ones a little closer.