Although it is a thrill to make bags for some big clients like Nordstrom and Fred Segal Rocks, I enjoy honoring my roots as a one-of-a-kind designer.  It is somewhat of a rarity to find that these days, and I enjoy sorting through fabric remnants, dis-assembling old garments, and finding just the perfect accent as the inspiration for a bag.  Karol Richardson in Newport, RI is where I got my first opportunity to sell my handbags back in the summer of 2003.  I have vivid memories of riding the ferry from Providence to Newport on a beautiful day, with my bag full of goodies.  I found Karol Richardson by mistake actually, I was intending to show my work to another store and I couldn’t find it.  Newport has a relatively small retail district if that is any indication of my poor sense of direction, after all this was before the days of gps devices in cell phones.  I timidly asked the owner, Natasha, if I could show her my bags- so as not to lead me on she informed me that they had already bought their merchandise for the next two seasons.  When she saw my work she agreed to make an exception.  You can imagine how rewarding that felt for me.  Since then I have made bags for them every season, and many of them can not be replicated.  For that reason, many of the bags I make for them are quite different from the bags I offer through my regular wholesale business.  Today I delivered bags for their holiday season, and here are pictures of some of them.

Well, first of all, sorry for being such a slacker blogger.  I have been making all the bags for my fall 2008 orders myself, and they start shipping in 2 weeks.  My studio is on the third floor and has no A/C.  It has been hot and my deadlines have forced me to keep working in absolutely grueling conditions.  Progress is being made, and my sewing skills are improving as I go.  I recently was challenged because my name has not yet been registered with the US government.  I had to hire a new accountant and seek an attorney to help me in this process.  While all of this is going on, I am also making samples for my Spring 2009 collection, titled “Art Inspires Life”.  My idea is that with the bleak economic outlook, I need to create a look that can inspire and lift the spirit.  Below are a few of the preliminary samples, several more are in the works.  I feel that this is the most cohesive collection I have made to date, with each piece representing a piece of art I have created.  Enjoy!

  (last one full size here)