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| "Sophie" wooden handle tote, PU,$80 |
"Tyler" tote bag with strap, PU, $80 |
Tote bag with mirror deco, leather, $250 |
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| 1. | Cool site.Very good!!! - Sandi from LA, CA, June 03, 2007. | | 2. | i bought one of your bags here in Vancouver and i see them everywhere and they are beautiful. i love my bag and so does everyone else!! - Michelle from bc, October 06, 2008. |
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| Growing up in a traditional shoe-making family in which
my dad owns a shoe factory with most of the employees being my own relatives, I
have realized my special interest in the fashion industry ever since my
childhood. At the age of 14, my family moved to Vancouver Canada where I
continued to pursue my passion in fashion and design at Emily Carr Institute of
Art and Design upon the completion of my high school education. After studying
fine arts for two years, I decided to quit college and moved to Florence, Italy
where I had the chance to learn about leather crafts for the first time.
During my stay in Florence, my sisters (I have 4 older sisters) started a
handbag business, and I had the opportunity to work as a part-time designer for
them. Meanwhile, I also found myself an internship with Pauric Sweeney Handbag
in Florence. Although I did not complete my degree in General Fine Art, with my
portfolio and extensive design-related work experience, I have received offer
from the Royal college of Art in London for postgraduate study starting fall
2007. Currently, my works are mostly inspired from traveling such as places I
went, shows I’ve visited, flea markets, as well as vintage markets and so forth.
So far in my life, the most unforgettable event as a handbag designer would be
preparing for my RCA entrance interview exam. I received the notice for the
interview while I was on a business trip in Asia. As a result, upon returning to
Italy, I only had 5 days to prepare for the interview. RCA asked us to design a
new line with each design being fully illustrated, and there should also be a
minimally one complete sample. So I literally spent 5 days doing non-stop
drawing. The last night I stayed up until late midnight in order to finish my
sample. At 3:45 in the morning I finally hopped on to a plane to London for the
interview. During the two-hour flight, I restlessly rehearsed the interview over
and over again until the plane landed. Fortunately, the interview took place
smoothly, and by the end of the day, I was extremely exhausted. I fell asleep
immediately after lying down on my bed in the hotel room. After such a long and
hectic day, nothing tastes better than this particular moment of peace and
tranquility, and nothing feels better than the moment of sweet dream.
I just recently finished my study in Florence Italy, and it still feels like
just yesterday I was packing up and my family still doubted if I can make it
through studying abroad and living on my own. I have to admit that this past
couple of years haven't been easy for me. From quitting college and left all my
close ones for Italy, it took a lot of courage for me to make the decision.
However, I have always believed that one must take chances for things he cares.
Although the upcoming challenges could be quite daunting for me at times,
striking for something I am passionate about makes me feel confident that I will
be able to take on all the challenges and at the same time transform myself to a
better, more mature and all-rounded individual. |
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IHDA Nominee: Best Student-Made Handbag
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What is your name? |
Wei Wei Chang |
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Where are you from? |
Vancouver, Canada |
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Where do you live now? |
Florence, Italy |
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How old are you? |
22 |
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Do you have a design background? |
Emily Carr Institute of Art (Vancouver) and Scuola del Cuoio |
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Do you still have a day job? |
Yes - Gaya Handbags |
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What year were your bags born? |
2006 |
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Bag brand name: |
Gaya Handbags |
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What is their retail price range? |
$80 |
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Where can a shopper buy your bags? |
www.gaya.ca |
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For more information, contact: |
www.gaya.ca |
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