My line got started all because of riding a bicycle in NYC. The bicycle has been my mode of transport since moving to NYC in 2002. Biking completely alters your wardrobe and I wanted to make chic bags for girls who needed to go from a bike to an office still looking fresh.

My background is in fine art but in the last three years, I have spent time getting to know the ins and outs of bag making, and now I am focusing on developing the Corrente brand.  I generally use Italian leathers because the quality is so much better. Although they are more expensive, in the end they last longer and break in beautifully. The Corrente woman is an educated consumer. Quality and style matter, as well as knowing that all the handbags are made local. The design and production process is unusual. My studio is directly in the factory. I make all of my own patterns, which gives me the freedom to personally craft each style until it is exactly how I like it. This past season I have been working with a jeweler to make my own hardware. I cast the pieces in solid bronze. I love bronze because with each batch is always, even each piece is different from the other.

For every designer production can be a nightmare – one little missing component or broken hardware – can throw off an entire production. I think that is the main reason I moved my studio to the factory is so I could get a heads up then and there, instead of a phone call that night after it is too late. What really makes it worth it are the women who love Corrente bags, the ones who keep coming back, the ones who have a little collection of Corrente. I had a customer pay me more than the price just to make sure I stay in business. Gestures like these keep me persevering.