I guess you can say I am a jack of all trades (in design that is). I started out designing jewelry using 18 karat gold, dabbled a bit in clothing and accessories and now handbags. I don't have a background in design and I've never studied it formally, but I believe that if you have it in you, go for it. That is what I did, and the roads were neither smooth, nor paved in gold. I self-funded every project. (I maxed out a couple of cards while attempting to follow the dream.)  I travel a lot and see a lot of pretty things. I forever desire to make tangible all the "pretties" that I see. I am from the Midwest and there are quite a bit of tanneries there. Several years back, before moving to Bangkok, I waltzed into a leather store and asked the manager to give me private lessons on sewing a simple handbag. Thanks to her patience and tons of crafting handbooks, I now utilize the plethora of textiles I find in Asia to make my designs. I had a lot of onesies (one-of-a-kinds), but now have streamlined my handbag designs to a few that seem to have been well received by the online community. I am now in the midst of sourcing leathers of new colors with different textures. I find that it is easier for me to touch and feel the leather first and then come up with a design. I have the same approach with my jewelry as well. My approach is truly visceral. It is from the color, look and feel of the medium that inspiration finds me.

It is a funny thing how in the beginning of my self-made design career, everything was so intricate and incorporated so many details. My approach now is a bit different. I like simple lines, sensual colors and great functionality! You can see that in my two best sellers Ton Sai and Acorn. But not to fret, I do plan on sneaking in some cool and functional pockets in my upcoming designs. I currently use cow leathers to make my handbags, although I would like to take advantage of the exotic skins that Thailand provides in the near future. I am amazed by the plethora of colors and textures that leathers come in. For several of my Ton Sai Totes I am using a gorgeous cracked and polished skin which gives the bag a distressed almost beat-down vintage appeal while maintaining a luxurious integrity. I know that pin pointing a target audience is important and even though I majored in marketing, I still can't get myself to say who my target market is. I'd like to think everyone. Furthermore, having an online business proves that point. When I first started designing I thought that I would target everyone that is super into indie things...better yet, indie luxe. I thought that they would live in big cities, have unique jobs and turn their noses up at anything name brand. After shipping off my bags to remote parts of the world and having personal communication with my customers, I realize that there is no rhyme nor reason. Some have night watch jobs, some are full-time mothers and some are crazy busy doctors and lawyers.

My inspiration comes when I least expect it. Living in Thailand really helps! I can stroll down my neighborhood and see a lot of things that I normally wouldn't back in the Midwest. The curvature of the temple rooftops, shapes of the exotic fruits, the interesting look of the flora and fauna, you name it! It all lends a hand in inspiring me. Other times, I just hang out in busy shopping districts and admire the funky fashion that the youth of Thailand sport. A lot of the lines and shapes of the clothing worn here can be translated into a really cool handbag. It is very fashion forward in the big cities of Asia. My new bags shy away from using much hardware. I might use an o-ring here and there, but my Acorn design is pretty much all leather. It is not only economical when shipping because the bag is lighter, but there are fewer things that would wear and tear and have to be replaced. The designs in the making all use cushy plush leather with no hardware, sans the zipper and magnetic snap.

After dabbling in handbag design, I finally took the plunge upon moving to Thailand. I have a friend here who helps me around Thailand since I cannot yet speak the language. She was using a broken tote that had a broken zipper. I asked her if she would get rid of it if I designed her a new one. So I did! I designed her a bag with a magnetic snap for easy access, and added a strong canvas lining as well. The overall look was a stronger and more luxurious carrying tote than she had to begin with. This was to be the origin of my Ton Sai Tote. We had a ceremony to dispose of the old one. May it R.I.P.

This rekindled my love affair with handbags and designing. Just like my friend whose bag was bursting at the seams with stuff, I know that many women out there live out of their bags. They need something that can carry their laptops, makeup, documents, etc. I know that they also want something that looks stylish and fashionable. My mission is to create bags that marry function to fashion.  As much as I love recognition of my brand, I have never been into brands and brand names. In other words, I like to buy something simply because I like it, not because of the name attached to it. This is the reason for why I stamp my logo on the inside part of the strap. In that way, it is not something that stares at you every time you open your handbag nor is it on any obvious parts. I know that this goes against marketing 101, but it stays true to my personality. After all, personality is a thing both intangible and recognizable. That is what I'd like for my designs....recognition because of the style.

I can make you a list of random incidents that make designing painful at times....1) recognizing faulty hardware after having sewed them on 2) leather shipments that consisted of colors not ordered and are non returnable 3) working with a gorgeous "one of" leather piece and making a boo boo beyond repair.I currently sell my bags online only. I sell directly to the customer and get to communicate with them on a one on one basis. It gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to have someone tell me that my bag has become their favorite and that they receive compliments wherever they go! Hearing this from an elated customer fuels me and makes me oh so happy!