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| Large Tote and Matching Purse, cotton, $175 |
Black & White Ruffle Bag, heavy linen, $100 |
Hobo Bag, heavy linen w/white link chain, $100 |
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| I am a retired school teacher who has always had a
creative streak. After retiring, I needed things to occupy my time. I became a
"Master Gardener" and devoted the first couple of years of retirement to
developing the gardens of my home. But, even though I still garden, I have
always had a love affair with both bags and interesting fabrics--and it wasn't
long before I made my first bag. I've been making them for over a year and
currently, I have only sold at private events and some through limited
catalogues and e-mail orders. In other words, I am really just getting started.
The materials I use are based a lot on the seasons. I use cottons and heavy
linens for the Spring and Summer and velvets and heavier fabrics for my Winter
bags. My target audience is really anyone with a sense of style, who loves bags
and loves being the only person who has something--no two of my bags are ever
exactly the same. My bags are special because no two are alike and each one has
a unique style--I spend hundreds of hours in material stores. As a result, each
bag is totally original. My inspiration, really, has to do with a love of bags
and a love of fabrics, color and texture.
I got started when I saw material in a store and thought it would make a great
looking bag. Also, I found a shoe buckle in my basement that had been my
grandmother's and thought it would really complete the look. I loved and still
love that first bag. The most interesting thing about my bags is that no two are
exactly alike. No one will ever walk down the street and see her bag carried by
someone else.
The only real nightmare story I have is when I had a show coming up and was in
the middle of a new bag. I tripped on my sewing machine's cord, ripped the
machine from the table and both machine and designer crashed to the ground. I
was fine, but the sewing machine needed to be sent for repairs and I had to wait
two weeks to get it back. Luckily, there was still enough time before the show.
I am really just at the beginning of this journey and organizing the business
part of it has been my Achilles heal so far. But, I think that my greatest
achievement so far would be being Designer of the Day for Handbag Designer 101.
The biggest thrill I had, though, was walking through a random Long Island town
and seeing a total stranger carrying one of my original designs. That was great
and really inspiring, and I hope that my business acumen improves so that this
will happen to me more and more often.
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What is your name? |
Emily Kohl |
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Where are you from? |
New York |
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Where do you live now? |
Brightwaters, Long Island |
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How old are you? |
66 |
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Do you have a design background? |
No. |
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Do you still have a day job? |
No. |
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What year were your bags born? |
2007 |
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Bag brand name: |
Emylou Designs |
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What is their retail price range? |
$50 - $200 |
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Where can a shopper buy your bags? |
r_kohl@msn.com |
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For more information, contact: |
r_kohl@msn.com |
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Designer Archive:
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