What is in a name?

You've asked, we're answering. Truly, if we had a dime for each time someone asked the origin of a bag's name, we'd cover our walls in navy alligator. So, here's the dish.

 
Elaine in Natural Ring Lizard

 
Thomson Tote in Pony

Juliette in Black Alligator

FAMILY NAMES

Since family - both immediate and extended - serves as the axis of our world, I decided to honor them by naming the first couple of collections after loved ones and what I like to refer to as 'fake family'. Friends who feel like family.

Thomson is my mother's given surname, Dara and Juliette are cousins in Washington and New York City respectively. More cousins: Anna, Kate & Maggie hail from Kansas, Susanne (which is now the Cynthia) is my mom. Avery my precious niece from San Antonio. Georgia is my great-grandmother and Faye is my grandmother (as well as my own middle name!). And we can't forget about the Knight side of the family, the Elaine bag was named for my mother-in-law. Taylor is my god daughter & Lila is her little sister. Little Finley,who is lucky enough to reside in Santa Barbara, is my future daughter-in-law! And let's not forget Sydney, whose parents' own the factory where all these names turn into handbags.

  
Taylor tote in orange matte alligator

  
Ellie in White python and karung

CLIENTS GET NAMING RIGHTS

We get calls from doting husbands who want a bag named after their wives all the time, but the only way to obtain 'naming rights' to a bag is to design it yourself. A long, and a tad more expensive process...we feel it's only right to give that little perk. Some bags are 'self-titled' creations, others will used a loved one or even a pseudonym that only they will know. Last year, we auctioned off the naming rights for a bag in the spring 08 collection to benefit the Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation at their annual Catwalk for a Cure benefit's live auction. The highest bidder decided to name it after her little girl, Ellie.

Hallie - is named after a client's granddaughter. Kirby was named after a client who wanted a bag made a little bit bigger. Karen was designed as a gift for a friend, and Grant is the last name of a client who, of course, wanted the Georgia a tiny inch shorter. Lissy is the name of a client's daughter as well.


WE'VE GONE TO THE DOGS!

We are big dog lovers here at AK Inc., and so many times, we name our bags after our favorite canines - Clementine, Slim, Scooter, Luna, Victoria, Lola are all four-legged friends.


JUST BECAUSE I LIKE IT!

The Mercury...well...it was in retrograde. Everything was falling apart! I had hit two cars that day, and all samples were running late and were completely wrong. When this bag came in, and it was the only thing that was perfect, we decided to pay tribute to the moon and the stars.

And then there are the names that I just like and my husband will not let me use them on children or dogs, so I pass them along to my other children - the ones that I design and sell. Tanner, Magnolia, Piper, Adelaide and India are all in the baby name reject file, but live in exotic skin.


Wanna help? We have five more spring bags to name, and they all need special names. We're running out of family and dogs! Submit your fave and you may have the naming rights yourself. Get creative...you know how we roll.