ODESSA, Texas (Big 2/FOX 24) – Imagine working on starting a business during this pandemic, that’s exactly what two local sisters are doing, and their new company is something a bit different for the Permian Basin.

“There was a hole in the market that we found. It all stems from our West Texas roots and who we are,” said Lisa Brazile, PERMIAN CoOwner.

You could say it’s a mix between West Texas and the bright lights of New York. “We got down to what’s the most meaningful thing to us, it’s where we come from,” said Brazile.

Brazile lives in Odessa. Her business partner and sister, who’s also from Odessa, now lives in New York. “I think people just identify West Texas with just oil and gas, but there’s such a big creative community here,” said Brazile.

Their creativity led them to develop a unique business idea, designer handbags but with a West Texas Flare. “It’s contemporary, modern; it’s eco-conscious. It’s all American made leather goods,” said Brazile.

It’s one reason Dr. Ryan Peckham says the sisters won $100,000 through the Odessa Business Challenge to help launch their new company. Dr. Peckham said, “One of them is very good at designer, and the other one is really good at business. One of the things that all the winners have is that they’re mentally tough,”

He also gave us a comparison. “A lot of these contestants describe it as shark tank for West Texas. Midland and Odessa, the area, is full of entrepreneurs. This is a very, very entrepreneurial area,” said Dr. Peckham.

“We’d like to blow it out to just be worldwide and show everybody what West Texas has to offer,” said Brazile. The handbags also have a West Texas name to go along with it, called PERMIAN.

The hope is a line will come out in early 2021.