I am Phyllis Albert and I hand-make beautiful things with natural materials. Welcome to My Shop! There is so much natural beauty on this earth, and my creations aim to showcase that beauty in its simplest, rawest form—hence the name “element.” I work with natural materials like stones, gems, leather, hair-on hides, bones, horns, shells, cotton, linen, and exotic woods. Every piece is an original design, often inspired by African, tribal, biker, and rocker aesthetics, infused with a high-end fashion edge. I consider my pieces to be wearable works of art—statement pieces that elevate any outfit. Each item is handcrafted by me in my Ft. Lauderdale workshop. This includes everything from designing, dyeing, cutting, stitching, to tooling and carving leather. I also hand-cut, carve, and polish the exotic wood elements in my pieces. Because of this meticulous process, no two items are ever exactly alike. Most are one-of-a-kind, with only a few select earring and bracelet designs made in multiples. I also accept custom orders and love collaborating on unique pieces. I hope you enjoy these creations as much as I’ve enjoyed bringing them to life.

I later became a Quality Engineer at Johnson Controls in Atlanta, where I worked with automotive seating for General Motors. After seven years, I returned to Florida and joined Loewenstein (a division of Brown Jordan), where watching furniture makers work with leather and fabric reignited my creative spark. From there, I spent 11 years at Jarden Consumer Solutions (now Newell Brands) in Boca Raton. During that time, I purchased my first home—a blank canvas that allowed my creativity to flourish. I designed my own custom wall art, designed my front door, and created unique brick patterns for my driveway and patio. It was a turning point. My hands couldn’t stop making. In my current role at Travelpro, a luggage company, I’ve found renewed inspiration in bag structure and design. Surrounded by expert designers and manufacturers, I was inspired to take a leather bag-making class, followed by woodworking courses. I picked up the techniques quickly, so quickly that my instructors couldn’t believe it was my first time. I began modifying and personalizing every project into something uniquely mine. For four years, I created leather bags and jewelry as a personal outlet. I didn’t sell anything—until one day, wearing one of my sling bags at an African Festival in Chicago, I was approached by vendors who assumed it was a high-end purchase. When I told them I made it myself, they encouraged me to become a vendor. The following year, I returned—as an artist and entrepreneur. Today, I design under the name; Element—a brand that reflects my love for nature’s raw beauty and my lifelong connection to fashion, craftsmanship, and storytelling. My work features natural materials like stones, gems, leather, hides, bones, horns, shells, cotton, linen, and exotic woods. Each piece is a bold statement—African-inspired, tribal, biker-chic, rocker-edged, and fashion-forward. Everything is made by hand in my Ft. Lauderdale workshop. From carving/tooling to stitching, dyeing to polishing, no two pieces are ever alike. I also welcome custom orders for those seeking something truly one-of-a-kind. My creativity is only limited by my skills, so I continue to take classes and learn new techniques to bring my ideas to life. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me and the evolution of my art. I hope my work inspires you as much as it has inspired me.