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“My grandmother never sold her bags... until now.„


Written By Maureen Dowd | Crafts & Traditions

Mira Berk, a 72-year-old artisan who will close her workshop after 52 years. (Photo: The Handmaker's Report)

For more than five decades, Mira Berk quietly crafted leather bags by hand in her small workshop in rural Japan. She never sold them online—until her granddaughter, who lives in New York, decided to share Mira's story and announce her retirement. Within days, thousands of people were asking how they could get one of her last creations.


She never considered herself a brand, but only a bag maker.

Mira never chased trends or tried to build a business. She worked slowly, carefully, and by hand—just as her father had taught her. For most of her life, she gave her bags away to friends, neighbors, and local shopkeepers. "I didn't think anyone outside my town would be interested in this," she once said. But what began as a quiet, personal craft has now grown into something much bigger.

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Mira opens her shop to sell handmade leather bags. (Photo: The Handmaker's Report)

It was just a farewell post... until it went viral


Mira didn't expect anything when her granddaughter posted a serene photo from her workshop with a simple caption: "My grandmother is retiring after 50 years of making leather bags. These are her last."

Within hours, the post had over 10,000 likes. By the next morning, it had been shared more than 3,000 times—and Mira's inbox was overflowing with messages from strangers asking how to buy a bag.

Some people offered to pay in advance. Others asked if they could reserve a copy. Many simply wrote to say thank you or to say, "Your work reminds me of my grandmother."

It was overwhelming—in the best way possible. The farewell post had inadvertently sparked something much bigger than either of them had expected.

  • "I thought maybe a few friends would like it," said her granddaughter. "But then the first messages came in."

To the last collection

Mira's granddaughter's Facebook post and Mira's Facebook inbox. (Photo: The Handmaker's Report)

This is the only time Mira's bags are sold online

Mira's farewell collection is available now —and the pieces are selling out fast. After more than 50 years of handcrafting timeless leather bags, she's closing her workshop forever. These are the last bags she'll ever make , and when they're gone, there won't be any more.

Each bag in the collection has been carefully hand-stitched from full-grain leather that has been naturally aged and is designed to last for decades. Orders have already been received from across the United States, and remaining stocks are limited.

  • "I've spent my whole life making these bags," says Mira. "It means a lot to me to know that people still appreciate the way things used to be made —slowly and with care.


Don't miss the chance to own one of her last creations. This is a one-time release - and when it's gone,

Get their last bags with 70% discount

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