Sarah brings creativity to life

During high school, Sarah did her own thing: she wore clothes that she liked instead of looking at others. "It was my way of standing out," she says. It was a natural step for Sarah to go to Sint Lucas in Boxtel. "There I chose the specialisation of leather, a fascinating product." The knowledge she gained there and in practice, she now passes on to first-year students at her old school. "This way I can stay full-time in my field."  

After graduating, Sarah immediately knew she wanted to start her own business. "I want to make my own mark." She started looking for her own studio space. She found that studio space at STEK in Breda. There, she locked herself in to build her own collection from the ground up. "At that time, my living room was my studio, I was ready for the next step."

Now you can find SAARBARBAARS in the Sint Annastraat. "My craft fits well in Sint Annastraat. I really hope to add something to the city: extravagant, unisex streetwear, with a raw and edgy edge. In Amsterdam and Rotterdam you see this a lot, but in Breda it is truly innovative."

Sarah works a lot with leather in her collections and finds it important to know where her materials come from. “Leather is a sustainable product; it stays beautiful for your entire life and it is a by-product. Otherwise, it would go to waste. If I have leftover leather that I can't make into a bag or wallet, I make a cardholder or keychain out of it.”

Bringing together fashion and art. That is what Sarah has done together with the Breda artist Kathelijn Samuels. "We created a limited edition collection featuring clothing, bags and accessories." Kathelijn created three colourful prints on three large skins, and Sarah then continued to work with them. "I cut up her work into a new design, making each product in the collection unique."

Sarah has been working on her dream career for five years now. "I only now realise that I am proud of what I have achieved. Everything is falling into place. People are getting to know me better and are finding me more often, for which I am grateful. It's so nice to see that people enjoy wearing my work! My dream? To become a big brand. With different locations for the production space, design studio and a store. Yes, I can see that happening!"