Parker Thatch XL Mimi bag in caramel suede, $750
Irene Chen-Grenby and Matthew Grenby are husband and wife co-founders and designers of Parker Thatch, a line of luxury bags and accessories defined by the ideas of ease, elegance, and timeless design. The couple named the company after their children: daughter Parker, 18, and son Thatcher, 16.
PT, based in Orinda, California, about 20 miles east of San Francisco, where the Granby’s reside, launched in 2002 with the belief that life becomes easy and elegant when function meets style. They are a small, female co-founded team with limited production runs focusing on quality and workmanship. They aim to bring you products you want to keep and love.
“Our ongoing source of inspiration is “unstylized” photos of chic people, rooms, gardens, cars and places. There is something very inspiring about how people look when truly themselves.” – Irene Chen-Grenby and Matt Grenby, Co-Founders, Parker Thatch
Parker Thatch Co-Founders Irene Chen-Grenby and Matthew Grenby
Matt, born in Canada, holds multiple degrees in business and design. California-born Irene trained in product development and worked for Donna Karan and Calvin Klein in New York in the mid-90s, where they once resided.
At one point, the couple had planned to open a store on the Upper East Side. Their first foray into business was in 2000, doing paperless posts, but the technology needed more sophistication to support their entire vision. Moreover, their followers coveted actual paper products.
Medium sized Charlie Slouch Bags in Italian suede, leather, Japanese denim, $698, parkerthatch.com
So, they launched printed versions of their line in 2,000 stores. After having two children, the couple moved the stationery business back online, expanding with a high-end personalized bag and accessory business offering classically chic personalized canvas totes and Lucite trays.
Irene with her Coco Belt Bag in luggage leather, $628, parkerthatch.com
There’s something refreshingly unslick (and I mean that in the best sense of the word) about the couple, their business model, and their products. The word “authentic” is bantered around in fashion, but sometimes, it applies. It’s hard not to be seduced by Irene and Matt’s unpretentiousness.
The Grenbys are not only genuine in their obvious love and simpatico but also in their earnest desire to connect with their customers and bring ease and elegance to the everyday. They currently have 158,000 Instagram followers, and their frequent Instagram Lives, which they initiated during COVID, are a mainstay of their business and help them connect with the community they’ve built.
“Matt and I built this company around the concept of ease and elegance. Our design inspiration invariably comes from authentic styles from the past mixed with a twist of modernity. – Irene Chen Grenby, Co-Founder Parker Thatch
Get Dressed in two seconds with the Jumbo Jane Slouch bag in platinum leather $750, parkerthatch.com
For Irene and Matt, it’s more than just a bag; it’s about their mission: “Make you look great, make it easy for you, and let’s get you out the door and moving!” I spoke to Irene over the phone last week, and “ease” kept coming up.
Medium Mimi in military grade ballistic camo printed nylon with pink and red stripes, $628, parkerthatch.com
Their first bag was the Mimi, a square canvas tote with two strips of leather created in 2009. It’s an amalgamation of all the things Irene loves. Irene explains that they didn’t have money for pattern making at the time, so she enlisted the talents of a tailor from her local dry cleaners to make the sample and pattern.
Medium Jane Slouch Bag in black leather, $698, with bag chain charms and leopard print haircalf with keyring, parkerthatch.com
The Mimi comes in four sizes: micro, small, large, and XL. It remains one of their top sellers, along with the slouchier Charlie, Jane, and The Sling. They’ve moved into more slouchy bags because their customers want something less structured and that’s where they are hitting their mark.
Micro Jane Slouch Bag in leopard print hair calf, $458, Athena Cuff in gold metal, $428, parkerthatch.com
Irene says they do exceedingly well with suede and soft pebbled leathers in shades of tan, luggage, and butterscotch. A perennial customer favorite—and one that I gravitate to—is the cheetah leopard print done in hair calf, which is available in several iterations. For fall, they will introduce Charlie and Jane in an off-white, chocolate-brown zebra print.
A little slouchy and full of swagger, XL Jane Slouch Bag in cognac leather, $750, parkerthatch.com.
All Parker Thatch bags are made using the highest-quality materials (Italian leather, Japanese denim, military-grade ballistic nylon). They are thoughtfully designed with two metal D rings in case you want to add a detachable shoulder or cross-body strap to give them another look or to make them hands-free.
The straps are in various prints and styles, priced from $168 to $248. They include simple leather ropes, gold and silver chains, both narrow or chunky, graphic stripes, leopard and tiger prints on hair calf, and geometric beads.
Parker Thatch X Larissa Mills Envelope Bags parkerthatch.com
PT’s most recent collaboration was created in partnership with style guru Larissa Mills. The limited-edition capsule collection of “fun and functional” candy-colored metallic and cheetah-printed hair calf envelope bags in different sizes is priced from $78 to $378. The day they launched, many of the styles sold out immediately.
“Odd huge shapes are very interesting to me,” observes Irene, who has her own unique, eclectic style, which is refreshingly “nonfashion” with a laid-back California vibe. Irene is a walking advertisement for Parker Thatch, and she is her own best model.
Irene wears white denim overalls, Alaia studded ballerina flats, carrying the Parker Thatch Lee in cognac suede, $498, parkerthatch.com
Whether out and about, or during their Instagram Live sessions, Irene’s followers always take note and often comment about her outfits, which can include denim and bandana-printed overalls, chunky Aran knit sweaters worn with vintage Levi’s, cotton button-downs paired with leopard or one of Prada’s embellished skirts, belted safari jackets and blazers worn offhandedly with cropped leggings, and Rivet Utility’s jumpsuits.
Irene wearing the Parker Thatch oxford cloth button down accessorized with Parker Thatch gold jewelry
Irene, who stands at 5’4″, always wears flats (Adidas Trainers, penny loafers, ballet flats, and Alaia’s studded Maryjane flats) and accessorizes with multiple Parker Thatch gold chain necklaces, charms, cuffs, bangles, and rings. Jewelry prices range from $68 for the mini heart evil eye charm to the $428 Athena Cuff.
I look forward to every article. Thank you.
Mary McFadden Designs were sumptuously BEAUTIFUL as is your tribute to her
I feel as if my words were delivered by you, Marilyn! Our time was vibrant with beauty as part of…
Great insights into New York Fashion Week—finding standout pieces is key!
Laurel Marcus…..loved this article, wish I knew about this show. Please do more of this!
Armani is an icon embodied with transcending style that manifests as beauty!
Designs by Cyril Verdavainne IMPRESSED me!
Fashion Today as shown suggests insecurity and confusion reign supreme!
Irene and Matt are so authentic! Love that they still do the live formats where we can ask questions or…
All so individually creative and entertaining! Marilyn, I want your skirt!
Fashion changes with the times, and ways to present it must change creatively too.
Let his name live on for what HE designed so he can rest in peace.
Irene and Matt are so authentic! Love that they still do the live formats where we can ask questions or pairing with straps. I have followed them since their stationary days!
Parkerthatch has a great aesthetic- classic and cool – love all their pieces and Irene’s enthusiasm 👍