Chris Murphy is a pattern designer, bag making educator and founder of Simply Classic. During her 30 years as a partner in her CPA firm, Chris discovered her passion for creating functional, sophisticated handbags at a fraction of designer prices. This love for design and teaching led her to launch Simply Classic in 2020, providing sewists with the patterns, materials and education needed to craft high-end bags.

Chris believes that everyone is capable of creating high-quality handbags — they just need the right resources. She teaches bag makers of all experience levels through tutorials on the Simply Classic YouTube channel, online classes and in-person workshops around the U.S. Chris enjoys working with a variety of materials but is especially passionate about leather bag making by machine.

When she’s not sewing, Chris enjoys playing tennis, listening to audiobooks, and spending time with her husband.