Brooke Martin Ireland is a Virginia girl, and
her childhood in beautiful Charlottesville influenced all of
her future endeavors – from coaching lacrosse in Australia
to launching a line of fashionable and weather-resistant handbags
in Richmond. The daughter of an interior designer, Brooke’s
interest in fabrics and design started at a very young age, but
it wasn’t until the creation of B. Ireland Bags that Brooke
finally found her unique niche in the design world.
Growing up in the Virginia countryside, Brooke developed a love of the outdoors, travel, and lacrosse. After graduating from Virginia Tech and working on her Masters in Exercise Physiology at the University of Virginia, Brooke and husband, James, packed their bags for Australia. Combining her love of travel and sports, Brooke accepted a job coaching the Victoria State team in Melbourne. After a year down under, the Irelands returned to Blacksburg and Virginia Tech where Brooke spent the next five years as Head Coach of the Women’s Lacrosse program. During her tenure, Brooke took the Hokies to the top 20 and earned numerous awards, including the Coach of the Year Award.
Brooke and James have since settled down in Richmond, Virginia
with their three sons and two yellow Labradors. After traveling
the world and life as a coach, Brooke wanted to focus on her
love of design and beautiful fabrics, but the idea for B. Ireland
Bags was born out of the necessities in Brooke’s life. She wanted
a stylish handbag that could withstand leaking sippy cups and dirty
cleats and still look fabulous. During the spring of 2007 Brooke
launched B. Ireland Bags – unique handbags made from hand-selected
designer fabrics treated to create a resilient, weather-resistant
material without sacrificing style. These bags can do it all from
use as a diaper bag, sport shoe tote, or a regular handbag and
include straps long enough to ensure your hands remain free to
do what you need to do!
Clutch it, Carry it, Swing it!