Felisa Rincón de Gautier is the namesake behind our newest Carry Bag print. Affectionately known to the public as Doña Fela, she became the first female mayor of a capital city in the Americas as Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico. She termed her political philosophy “benevolent maternalism” and dedicated her efforts to the distribution of food and shoes to poor children, to building centers for elder-care, and to offering legal aid to low-income residents.

A black and white photo of Felisa Rincón de Gautier holding a fancy doll and a handheld fan.

Among Doña Fela's many notable achievements and acts of service, perhaps the one she may be most remembered for was the establishment in 1949 of preschool/childcare centers that were referred to as "Maternal Schools". These centers served as the model for the federal Head Start program that would initiate later in the United States.

Doña Fela was elegant and fashionable, always wearing her hair in a trademark chignon, with her signature red lipstick. Her stunning style notwithstanding, Felisa Rincón de Gautier was an icon, an activist, a leader, and a pioneer for whom we have so much to be grateful for.

A gray and white floral pattern on a zippered carry bag.