Ever wonder how a bag is born?

India Hobo in oryx ostrich


Sandra Tote in mink matte alligator

Well, it starts with a stork smoking a cigar with a bundle of joy dangling from its beak...just kidding. But, actually, not far off. Gestation could be nine months or more. If we're lucky, much less.

Inspiration is the first step - deciding on a shape you love and a color you can't live without. Perhaps you'll see a bag on our showroom floor that catches your fancy, like this new Oryx India in ostrich that we just unpacked pictured here, or maybe you want to create a new bag that's more 'you'. We work very hard each season to create a collection that's classic and timeless, yet very of-the-moment. But, a few of our clients have come up with designs of their own that are now a vital part of our permanent collection. And, a bonus to designing your own bag is having the 'naming rights' as well.

Necessity is next - what will the bag do? Does it need to be a tiny clutch just to complement a look, or does it need to be functional enough to fit a 'crackberry', lipstick and mad money? Does it need to be a carry-all for a new mom that includes pockets for baby bottles, diapers and Cheerios? An airplane tote to house magazines, a laptop and your OWN blanket (which we HIGHLY suggest)? Or, sometimes the bag just needs to look spectacular and make the carrier feel like a million damn dollars. Even our most functional bags do the latter, and for that, we are very proud.

Be comfy in the skin you want to be in! Most bags and small accessories can be fashioned from alligator (our most popular), python, ostrich or lizard for smaller bags. You even choose the finish...matte, glaze, millinium (medium shine), metallic washes, etc.

We then begin the process of creating the pattern. A newly created pattern may start as paper (butcher, legal pad, even a cocktail napkin will do in a pinch) and then is made into a dummy bag. The final pattern is pictured above next to the finished Sandra bag shown in Mink matte alligator. They both sit atop a full alligator skin that has been tanned, dyed and glazed. We'll get to that process in a later entry.

Once the prototype is approved, the factory receives the skin that has been painstakingly selected by the client in the exact color and finish she (or he) envisions will be the perfect addition to their collection. Weeks, and admittedly, sometimes months go by and, POOF, a bag is born. Your handcrafted masterpiece is yours!

After all that work, we find the most fun and rewarding part of the process is calling the client to let them know that their creation has arrived. Squeals of delight followed by the screeching of tires pulling in front of our atelier let us know that we're doing something right. Seeing eyes light up as they pull the couture bag out of its AK dust cover is icing on the cake.

For a designer, there's nothing better than a happy customer. Having a bag featured in Vogue, Allure or WWD is thrilling, seeing one carried by an Oscar winner is beyond fabulous, but seeing them out and about in your own neck of the woods is the bomb.

Our babies become your babies. And, then, you'll decide that your child needs a sibling...and the fun begins again.