Upstairs at Cowboy Christmas, Women Were Cutting Their Own Bags
On the first morning of Cowboy Christmas, upstairs from the crowds and neon-lit boot brands below, there was a quiet pause before anything happened.
The kind of pause where you are not sure if people will stop, or just keep walking.
Then two sisters came by with their mom.
They did not hover. They did not ask tentative questions. They jumped in. Each of them chose something completely different. Different hides. Different accents. Different hardware. They laughed, debated, placed pattern pieces on leather, and made decisions that felt instinctive and personal. When it was time to cut, one hesitated. The other did not.
By the time the blades hit the hide, the Custom Bag Bar was no longer a question. It was happening.
Within hours, videos of the process were live on TikTok and Instagram. Friends texted friends. Nieces sent links to aunts. “You have to go upstairs,” became a refrain.
And just like that, Zendira’s first Custom Bag Bar was underway at the National Finals Rodeo.
Why a Custom Bag Bar, and Why Now
The idea did not start as a grand activation.
It started in August with a realization. There was no realistic way to bring every bag, color, and option to Las Vegas during the holiday season. Zendira’s bags are made in small batches, and the brand was already balancing a packed calendar that included Black Friday through Cyber Monday drops and a highly anticipated collaboration with world champion shooter Jessie Harrison on custom Saturday bags.
Instead of overextending inventory, the decision was to slow things down.
What if, instead of trying to show everything, Zendira invited women to make something one-on-one?
Cowboy Christmas, with its mix of tradition, craftsmanship, and shoppers who value quality over speed, felt like the right place to try.
The goal was simple. When a woman walked away, she would know she had created something that did not exist anywhere else.
How the Custom Bag Bar Worked
The experience began with a choice.
At Cowboy Christmas, women could customize three styles: the iconic Saturday bag, along with the Origami and the Envelope from Zendira’s Signature Collection.
Once the bag was chosen, pattern pieces were pulled and placed directly onto full hides. Women could move them, rotate them, and choose exactly where their bag would come from. For many, this was the moment that stopped them in their tracks. Some were eager to take the knife themselves. Others preferred to watch. Once they realized how approachable the process was, most wanted to try.
From there, the details unfolded.
Accent leathers included stiletto, toffee, café con leche, chocolate pull-up, and two custom-developed nappas in black and chocolate. Hardware options ranged from gold to antique bronze, gunmetal, and rose gold. Zipper pulls could be finished with tassels or Zendira’s custom pulls. Straps could be hand-braided or classic. Linings were black or turquoise.
Every decision was made on-site. Order forms were filled out. The actual cut pieces were attached and prepared to travel back to León, Mexico, where the same artisans who make Zendira’s core line would build the finished bags.
The experience took about thirty minutes. The bags would take about thirty days to make, plus shipping and customs before returning stateside.
What surprised many women was how strong their opinions became once they could feel everything in their hands. Leathers they thought they would love did not always win. Small details, like zipper tape color, suddenly mattered more than expected.
Upstairs at Cowboy Christmas
Zendira’s booth was located upstairs among the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation exhibits, away from the largest commercial brands on the main floor.
Upstairs was quieter. More conversational. More hands-on.
This mattered.
Women lingered. Conversations stretched. Decisions were not rushed. The rodeo crowd, many of whom have a deep respect for animals and materials, connected immediately with the idea of choosing not just a hide, but a specific place on that hide.
Some women had never heard of Zendira before. Others had seen the Custom Bag Bar on TikTok and came looking for it. Either way, once they understood the process, they were all in.
Craft Without Ceremony
There are plenty of custom hat bars at Cowboy Christmas. A hat can be shaped, finished, and handed over in minutes.
A bag is different.
Zendira’s Custom Bag Bar does not hand you a finished product and send you on your way. It starts at the beginning. The decisions are foundational. The sewing happens later, by artisans in León who are building that bag specifically for one woman.
People were not intimidated by the seriousness of the process. They were energized by it.
The invitation was simple: “Do you want to play?”
And they did.
In the quieter moments, there was time to trade stories with neighboring makers, including Jordan from BK Leathers, whose hand-tooled work became part of the rhythm of the upstairs floor. It felt less like a trade show and more like a working studio.
What Worked, What Surprised, What Comes Next
Hand-braided straps and tassel zipper pulls appeared on nearly every bag. That level of customization required quick coordination with the factory so materials could be prepped before the team even returned from Las Vegas.
More than anything, the experience confirmed what Zendira customers have been asking for.
More choice. More say. More ways to make something feel unmistakably theirs.
The most repeated question was simple: “Can we do this online?”
It is not the same as standing over a hide with a blade in your hand, but the brand is already working toward a digital Custom Bag Bar experience that captures as much of that decision-making as possible.
The momentum did not end with NFR. Zendira was invited to bring the Custom Bag Bar to Safari Club International in Dallas this January. The layout will evolve. The options will expand. The core idea will stay the same.
This is not just an event. It is a pillar. One that can scale up, scale down, and travel, without losing what makes it special.
A Different Way to Shop
In a season defined by speed, Zendira chose something slower.
Upstairs at Cowboy Christmas, women did not just shop. They chose. They touched. They cut. They surprised themselves.
And they walked away knowing exactly where their bag began.
FAQ'S
What is a Custom Bag Bar?
A Custom Bag Bar is an in-person experience where customers design a leather bag from the very beginning. Instead of choosing a finished product, guests select their bag style, place pattern pieces on full hides, cut their own leather, and choose accent leathers, hardware, straps, zipper pulls, and lining. The cut pieces are then sent to Zendira’s artisans in León, Mexico, to be sewn into a finished bag made specifically for that customer.
Where did Zendira first introduce the Custom Bag Bar?
Zendira debuted its first Custom Bag Bar upstairs at Cowboy Christmas during the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. The experience was intentionally introduced in a quieter, more hands-on environment where customers could take their time making decisions and learn about the materials and craftsmanship behind each bag.
What bags can be made at the Custom Bag Bar?
At Cowboy Christmas, customers could customize three styles: Zendira’s iconic Saturday bag, along with the Origami and the Envelope from the Signature Collection. Each style offers different opportunities for hide placement, accent leathers, hardware, straps, and linings.
Are the bags made on-site?
No. While the design process and leather cutting happen on-site, the bags are sewn afterward. The actual cut pieces from each customer’s session are sent to Zendira’s factory in León, Mexico, where the same artisans who make the brand’s core collection complete the bag by hand.
How long does the Custom Bag Bar experience take?
The in-person design experience typically takes about thirty minutes. Once the design is complete, the bag takes approximately thirty days to be made, followed by shipping through customs and delivery to the customer.
What makes Zendira’s Custom Bag Bar different from other customization experiences?
Unlike custom hat bars or jewelry bars, Zendira’s Custom Bag Bar starts at the earliest possible stage of the process. Customers are not choosing surface-level add-ons. They are deciding where their bag comes from on the hide, how it is accented, and how it will be built. This approach creates true one-of-a-kind pieces rather than variations of a finished product.
Can customers cut their own leather at the Custom Bag Bar?
Yes. Customers are invited to place pattern pieces on the hide and cut their own leather if they choose. Some prefer to do the cutting themselves, while others opt to have assistance. Either way, the experience allows customers to participate directly in the creation of their bag.
Will Zendira offer the Custom Bag Bar again?
Yes. Following the success of the Cowboy Christmas debut, Zendira plans to bring the Custom Bag Bar to select events and locations as a recurring part of the brand.
The next Custom Bag Bar will appear at the Safari Club International / Texas Trophy Hunter’s Association Outdoor Extravaganza in Dallas, Texas, running January 9–11, 2026. Zendira will refine the layout and expand options while keeping the core experience the same.
Can the Custom Bag Bar be done online?
Zendira customers frequently ask if the Custom Bag Bar can be replicated online. While the tactile experience of placing pattern pieces and cutting leather is unique to in-person events, Zendira is actively working toward a digital customization experience that brings as much of that decision-making process online as possible.
Is the Custom Bag Bar a one-time event?
No. Zendira views the Custom Bag Bar as a long-term pillar of the brand. It is designed to scale up or down, allowing it to appear at major events, in retail pop-ups, or in more intimate settings while preserving the personal, hands-on nature of the experience.
