Woman creates diaper bags that travel with style

When Cherie Killilea’s three children were in diapers, she longed for the perfect diaper bag. One that was stylish and sturdy and, most importantly, had plenty of room.

She wanted to be organized. She wanted to give her baby all her attention. She didn’t want her child to sense that changing a diaper was a hassle.

“I was always wishing someone would come out with an organizer thing so that I could relax with my baby everywhere, not just at home,” she said.

When she received an invitation to a friend’s baby shower in 2005, she looked again for her perfect diaper bag. Still no luck.

So the North Spokane woman put her skills as a crafter of custom upholstery and slipcovers to work. She made her friend a diaper bag.

It was a hit. And now Studio Cherie has diaper bags for sale in upscale boutiques in Seattle and Los Angeles.

Studio Cherie has launched two styles of diaper bags. Both are roomy, feature multiple pockets and come with an oversized – and machine washable – changing pad, designed to fully cover changing tables found in public restrooms.

The flight bag can be carried as a backpack, a shoulder bag or a handbag. It’s an ample bag, with room for clothing, diapers, toys, snacks, a bottle – all necessities when traveling.

“It’s nice to have a bigger piece of luggage for when you have to change (babies) on the plane,” she said. The bag is set up to help parents change diapers in the seat. “The bathroom’s just too tiny,” Killilea said. “You can barely fit yourself in there, let alone yourself and your baby and all your stuff.”

A smaller bag, in the shape of a camera bag, features accessible pockets for keys, cell phones, or bottles, an adjustable strap, a wipes holder, detachable changing pad and a large interior pocket.

Both bags are made from Crypton, a fabric that is stain, odor and bacteria-resistant. Best of all, Killilea said, the fabric is machine washable.

“I spilled coffee on it and soaked it up with paper towels,” Killilea said. “I’ve made bags out of Crypton, carried them around, set them down on restaurant floors, and they don’t pick up dirt. I’ve tried to get them dirty and I can’t.”

Killilea also offers a scaled-down bag, good for parents of toddlers, or for quick trips. Her little black bag features a large Crypton-lined changing pad with an attached wipes cover. There’s also room for a bottle. The idea came to her at a baby products trade show in Las Vegas.

“They wanted everything that my bag did, all the organization things and how it totally covers the changing table. Oh, they loved that,” she said. “They wanted the impossible: ‘Couldn’t you make it so it fits in my pocket?’ “

The bags are made in the Northwest, and the Crypton fabric is expensive. The result is a luxury bag: The flight bag sells for $495 and the camera bag goes for $350. The black bag, available online only, is $50.

It’s a good thing, perhaps, that both bags will be useful after baby is potty trained. Both feature elegant fabrics in stylish hues. The little black bag could have another life as a toiletries kit.

Killilea doesn’t have a local outlet yet. Her line of bags is available at www.studiocherie.com. The two diaper bags are sold at ArmCandy in Seattle’s Ballard district, and at Beverly Hills Luggage on Rodeo Drive.

If all goes well, Killilea said, this is a first step. Eventually, she’d like to introduce more handbags and maybe even a furniture line.

“When you’re doing what you’re made to do, you can’t help it,” she said. “If you have the resources to be creative and also put that creativity out for the world to see, that’s an incredible blessing.”