Meet Alejandro

We named our rugged Alejandro Backpack after the amazing man pictured above.

"Always persevere" is the mantra that Ernesto Izaguirre, master leather artisan, repeated to himself many times over as a boy. This refrain was seared into his brain and his character by his godfather, Alejandro, long before Ernesto secured a job with Mission Lazarus to create beautiful heirloom leather bags and teach others to do so as well. 

Ernesto recalls his own father's battle with alcoholism, and the comfort of spending time with Alejandro, absorbing all the love and wisdom that he poured out. “Alejandro always told me ‘Never give up on your dream' and I never have."

Taciturn and humble from decades of dedicating himself to grueling agricultural labor, Alejandro bestows his smiles sparingly, but when he does, they light up the room. Regarding having a bag named after him, Alejandro jokes that at least something representing him will get on a plane and travel.

Buy the Alejandro Backpack