Q & A with Ty Sinnett of tybout

We visited Ty Sinnett of tybout at her grandmother’s home on a beautiful Fall day to preview her sumptuous, timeless collection of handbags and ask her a few questions along the way. Ty herself was dressed like a true fashionista. Never keeping with one singular style but always knowing that the classics such as the t-shirt and denim pairing will forever be on rotation. Today, she was wearing a mix of high and low…pieces she’s made herself paired with a beautiful pearl necklace handed down from her mother.

1.) Dressed MV: Your name is intriguing – is there a story behind it?
Ty Sinnett: My name Ty, is short for tybout, (the name of my brand), which is an old family name. Tybout was the name of my grandmother’s mother, Emily Tybout.

2.) DMV: Can you tell us a little bit about your fashion background?
TS: I was born and raised on the Vineyard. My parents would tell you I first got into fashion at the age of 7. I used to insist on wearing full skirts over my ski parka when I was skiing. My mother owned a store called Bramhall & Dunn and it was one of my earliest jobs. I used to to help her on the weekends doing various things such making boxes, tying bows on wedding gifts, and helping with the buying, etc. After the store was in the midst of closing, I lived in Boston for 4 years and went to the School of Fashion Design taking courses in construction of garments and making handbags.

3.) DMV: Where and when did you come up with the idea of tybout and creating handbags?
TS: Last Fall when I was in Bali, I was about to head off on an 8 week tour of Europe. I decided to create a sort of travel wardrobe for myself and have them made in Bali for me to test them out on my travels. Out of everything, the handbags are what really shone through by the end of my trip, in terms of versatility, wearability and functionality.

4.) DMV: How many pieces are currently in your collection?
TS: I have about 8 pieces in the current collection. They are the weekender bag, the backpack, purse, travel clutch, the mini doctor’s purse, and the convertible backpack.

5.) DMV: Are they currently in any stores on island?
TS: They are exclusive at Mikel Hunter’s store in Edgartown. The boutique carries the Weekender bag, the backpack, the purse, and the clutches, all in various fabrications; python and leather.

To learn more about Ty and her collection tybout, please visit the website at www.tybout.com. You can also stop by Mikel Hunter in Edgartown to view and purchase items from the collection.