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12
MADE IN PORTLAND
July 25, 2013
QUEEN BEE CREATIONS
By KYLIE WRAY
The Tribune
W
hen the popular
Twilight Saga first
movie was released,
Portland hit the
spotlight. Devoted fans know
countless facts about the movie,
the cast and the Northwest. But,
bet you didn’t know that a purse
created by a Portland company
was featured in the movie.
In 1996, Queen Bee Creations,
a local handbag company said to
have “put a bird on it” long before “Port-
landia,” was founded by Rebecca Pearcy.
Pearcy, who began sewing at a young age,
started Queen Bee from the corner of her
bedroom. Her mom taught her how to use a
sewing machine when she was 13 years-old
and it opened the door to her future of cre-
ating her own studio and brand.
Queen Bee has since sprouted Chickpea
Baby and Rebecca Pearcy Textiles, has 11
worker bee employees and makes
hundreds of bags a week.
Queen Bee Creation’s products
are sold in 27 states around the
country and in 18 stores across Or-
egon, from Bend to Astoria.
Queen Bee got its name from
Pearcy’s images of nature, which
has been the jumping off point for
many of her designs. Her business
is a mirror of her love of the busy
worker bee image.
Her designs often include small
bird, flower, and cloud appliqués
being stitched onto the waterproof,
faux leather handbags and earthy printed
textiles that are made into throw pillows
and tea towels. Pearcy’s designs are built
and created by hand in Queen Bee’s studio
in Portland.
Pearcy is also very inspired by colors,
shapes and music, which is also reflected in
her bags. One line of bags, made with actual
records, have been made famous as one of
Queen Bee Creation’s signatures.
Fame’s in the bag for North Portland company
when ‘Twilight’ comes calling
Queen Bee
Creations
3961 N.
Williams Ave.
Suite 101
Portland 97227
PHONE:
503-232-1755
queenbee
creations.com
COURTESY OF QUEEN BEE CREATIONS
Queen Bee Creations’ North Portland studio, above, turns out several lines of bags, including a “Put a Bird on It” bag, below, inspired by IFC’s “Portlandia.”