‘What makes you come alive?’: A Conversation with Quinn McIlhargey-Nicholson
Interview by Abby Farr. Photography by Karly Nemeth.
For Quinn McIlhargey-Nicholson, a simple scrap of forgotten leather tells a story – it has a hidden history that’s only enhanced with time and wear. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Quinn, owner and founder of Baqette. Her handcrafted bags are making a name throughout the city, and each bag – made from recycled leather – has its story to tell. Quinn’s own story is about taking a leap and trusting yourself to find the way.
It all began when Quinn would visit her uncle’s furniture store in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There, she noticed the piles of brilliantly colored scraps of leather laying around. Her uncle was more than happy to let her take the colorful piles off his hands. During this time, Quinn also inherited a sewing machine from her grandma – which sparked an idea.
Already a wildly creative mind, she got to work on the old Singer sewing machine, stitching together trims of the leather into mini-sized bags, and thus Baqette was born. The name “Baqette” came from “baguette” (which inspired her original mini-bag design), and adding her initial, “Q.” She continued experimenting, finding more ways to repurpose the distorted material into something completely new.
She’s giving herself the grace to find a new flow and is invigorated by the adventure of it all.
However, Baqette was just a hobby while she managed a local Anthropologie store for almost 10 years. She enjoyed her work at the retail store and found inspiration while being there along the way, yet she always wanted to spend more time on Baqette.
Then came the Covid-19 pandemic, and with it, the retail furloughs that spread across the country. Quinn suddenly found herself with an excess amount of time and energy – giving her a life outside of the mall that restored her passion for creativity. But walking away always has risks, and for Quinn, making Baqette her career meant leaving a reliable, high-paying job with benefits.
Before leaving Anthropologie, it was important that her husband support her decision to let go of their joint income. She admits that having her finances already in check was an asset for this transition to go smoothly. Once he was on board, and with the support of her community, she could no longer push back the feeling inside her – she knew it was time to dive headfirst into owning a business.
Quinn is now finding a new rhythm in life. She pours her love of design and fashion into uniquely colored wallets, handbags, and wear-anywhere all-purpose bags – and it all started with piles of leather and an old sewing machine. It’s important to Quinn that her products are as inspiring as they are functional. She wants every customer to feel an added value by owning a Baqette – that they now own a beautiful product that would have otherwise ended up in the trash.
Quinn lights up when she describes the freedom of knowing she gets to be the creator of each day. Now, she rises early, sips on her Deeper Roots coffee, and continues her morning ritual of checking Instagram to gain inspiration from others, while spreading her own offerings. From that point on, no day is the same as she navigates what does and doesn’t work for her brand, and determines which tasks take precedents. She picked up part-time work at High Five Salon as well. She’s giving herself the grace to find a new flow and is invigorated by the adventure of it all.
She is currently reaching out to local retailers to spread her bags across Cincinnati and the country. In the meantime, you can shop her line where she’s continually adding to the collection and sharing visions from artists, textiles, and ceramics. She’s already in collaboration with Rosebud C.B.D, where you can also purchase her “stash bags.” In the future, she hopes her new lifestyle of embracing the “business owner” role will allow more time for play and travel.
As we wrapped up our interview, she shared these wise words for anyone considering leaving their day job to pursue their passion, “Start the journey now!” If you feel you’re in the wrong place, then listen to that voice and move on. Take the time for self-exploration, and ask yourself, “What do you love most? What makes you come alive? Listen to that more and more and explore that.” She encourages people to listen to the positive words while ignoring any negative thoughts. Quinn offers to coach anyone who is considering a job exodus to help them take that next step.
She has zero regrets in turning her passion into her life’s work.
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