I was born in Rosario, Argentina; a town about 3 hours from Buenos Aires. As part of a family of entrepreneurs, I have been always been part of my family’s business and assumed full-time responsibilities after graduating. After 2 years of that though, I craved a more structured environment with greater mentoring opportunities. I joined General Motors start up operations in where I worked for four years. I then moved to the United States in 2000 to attend Marshall School of Business at University of Southern California where I wrote the Almas Business Plan while and launched the company a month after graduating.

After conducting extensive research of the handbag and accessories market here in the United States, it was my firm belief that a niche existed for Almas products. My native country of Argentina has long been a hub of great fashion and beautiful people. For decades, Argentine leather products have been sold across Europe, especially in Italy and France because they know Argentina’s leather is in an elite class. I partnered with a woman named Gabriela, a well-known architect and swimwear designer in Buenos Aires who was also the sister of one of my best friends.

The Almas bags and accessories are made from supple calfskin and are handcrafted in Buenos Aires by leading Argentine artisans. Almas is known for its simple and clean shapes with hand made details and top-notch hardware as finishing touches. The brilliance of Almas is the functionality of a classic tote/bag combined with the beauty of handcrafted leather. While visually compact, many of the bags can accommodate all of a woman’s essentials. Many of the bags feature interior pockets, dividers and a built-in cell phone pocket, which can help sort out daily clutter from life’s necessities. This exceptional line offers style, quality and variety ideal for today’s woman.

After our first year in business we had our first real challenging experience, we had an excellent editorial at Real Simple magazine of our popular style the “Flap Baguette.” We were unsure of the response from that editorial so we did not think of ordering more. After the edition was released, we had non-stopped calls requesting that bag. We were excited but panic at the same time as our suppliers did not have enough leather in stock for immediate delivery. Luckily thanks to my partner’s contacts, we could source the leather and deliver our orders.

We started Almas in the second bedroom of my West Hollywood apartment. My husband woke up every morning with leather scent all over the house. I got my first 20 accounts by walking around LA trendy shopping areas and showing our bags to buyers. Four years later, both my partner and I are moms, Almas has loft offices in the Downtown L.A. Fashion District and in Buenos Aires and we are a team of seven. We have not only grown in the U.S. but have also sold our products to stores in Canada, Japan and Europe.

It has been a great journey so far!