Sarah Jessica Parker Hand-Picked This Year’s Most Innovative Handbag

According to Sarah Jessica Parker, the next big accessories designer isn’t in Paris, New York, or Milan, but on Etsy. Her name is Maria Gabriela Duque and her cactus leather convertible Emma Bag just won the 2023 Etsy Design Award Grand Prize. Choosing a single piece from thousands of entries was no small feat, but in a sea of artisanal accessories, Duque’s bag stood out to Parker.

“I tend to move toward vintage, which is why someone like Maria is exciting,” she exclusively tells InStyle. “The design is innovative. It doesn’t look like other things.”

Parker, a.k.a. Carrie Bradshaw herself, knows a thing or two about a gorgeous handbag. Duque’s piece — which can be worn as a belt, crossbody, or top-handle bag — hit every box on her personal accessories checklist. “A sense of timelessness, that feeling of a long-term presence, is really important to me,” she says. “Color is a great seducer for me, but I like to see it be used in a really thoughtful way.” Parker also added that she doesn’t like to see “a lot of stuff” on bags. “Maria’s bag is really clean. She brings in color, but it’s really, really thoughtful. I think that’s really impressive.”