Brahmin
In 1982, Joan and Bill Martin
embarked on a new venture and created Brahmin Leather Works in
our antique home in Hingham, Massachusetts - A long time dream
of Bill's. Prior to that time, Bill had been a manufacturing
and operations executive of leading companies within the shoe
industry. Joan was a mother, homemaker and actively involved
in community and church affairs. Bill, the manufacturing
specialist, drafted me to do the designing and selling. Sandy,
15, and Scott, 12, were old enough to support our efforts and
pitched in after school.
With sales
doubling each year, Brahmin soon outgrew its Hingham home and
moved to a small factory in Taunton, MA. After two years, and
once again the need for more space, the company relocated to a
25,000 square foot factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and
presently to a NEW modern factory in Fairhaven, Massachusetts.
Today, in
Fairhaven, Joan head up designing; Bill heads up manufacturing
and operations; Sandy works in design, and Laurel Buerk (VP
Sales and Marketing) in Marketing; Scott heads up internal
computer systems, and is the Manufacturing Coordinator. With
65 employees under one roof to hand-make Brahmin Handbags that
are sent to the finest retail stores across the country.
Click here to view Brahmin Handbags &
Purses for Sale Online.
Burberry
This British company is one of the most recognizable names in
status rainwear. The tan plaid has become synonymous with
quality and luxury. In fact, the gabardine classic has been
keeping people dry since 1856 when it was founded by Thomas
Burberry. Today, this brand of men's, women's and children's
apparel and outerwear symbolizes all that is British, sturdy,
unassuming and at home anywhere. And now, with a new design
director at the helm, the company will introduce updated
versions of classic styles including the classic trenchcoat
and aviator jackets. The Burberry's name can also be found on
men's and women's tailored clothing dress furnishings, shirts,
ties, hosiery, belts and eyewear.
Click here to view Burberry Handbags
& Purses for Sale Online.
Coach
More than forty years ago, Coach introduced twelve eloquently
simple bag designs with classic, well-balanced proportions.
Over the years, we have added a multitude of new shapes,
styles and materials, but each collection embodies the same
principles of classic design and American style.
Every Coach product embodies the perfect balance between
aesthetics and functionality. Sizes, shapes, pockets and
straps are carefully considered to provide maximum efficiency,
comfort and convenience. Seams are double-stitched where
reinforcement is required. In our glove-tanned pieces, the
inside pockets, handles straps and interior bound edges are
all made of the same leather to ensure a consistency of color
and texture.
Coach selects only the top ten percent of leathers for their
tactile quality, strength, character and grain. In the tanning
process the untreated leather is rotated for days in large
drums where it is softened and enriched with natural
treatments drawn from plant extracts, fats and clear aniline
dyes. Like fingerprints, no two grain patterns are alike. Our
method of slow curing brings the natural markings to the
surface, which makes every Coach product original and unique.
Click here to view Coach Handbags &
Purses for Sale Online.
Dolce & Gabbana
The in house designing studio at Gabbana, has always been an
integral part of the store and under the able guidance of Mr.
Akbar, the team of professional designers, merchandisers, co
ordinators, production personnel and the administrative staff
function to create and develop collections every season. And
each season the team strives to achieve the same vision of
perfection.
Click here to view Dolce & Gabbana
Handbags & Purses for Sale Online.
Dooney & Bourke
Dooney & Bourke has over a
quarter century of experience combining superior materials and
fine craftsmanship with traditional designs to create
enduring, functional fine leather goods.
Founded
in 1975 by H. Peter Dooney and Frederick Bourke, Dooney &
Bourke took off with the development of All-Weather
Leather—fine calfskin naturally processed to make it virtually
indestructible. With hand stitching and solid brass hardware,
handbags from this revolutionary leather look good and wear
well. This early fusion of durability, functionality, and
classic style has become the Dooney & Bourke hallmark.
Click here to view
Dooney & BourkeHandbags
& Purses for Sale Online.
Etro
A natural
collection for a "biological" thought. Etro dresses with
stylistic and material ability. Nothing is unplanned.
Etro goes on with its research for an everyday essence. It's
the turn of urban life and its "undeniable" meeting place:
supermarket. So, he creates a collection dedicated to
transgenic feeds and to a biological purism of ingredients.
Form chromatic patterns of creations realized in plant-dyed
cotton to northern velvets everything exalts accurate details,
symbol of made in Etro. But words aren't enough to understand
the meaning of his collection. Touching its creation you'll be
astonished.
Click here to view
Etro
Handbags & Purses for Sale Online.
Fendi
Fendi opted to call its famous bag "baguette" after someone at
the launch commented that it should be carried "like French
bread", called a baguette.
Fendi’s Baguette has been so popular that LVMH, the new owner
of Phillips International Auctioneers and Prada recently
joined forces to by a 51% stake in Fendi
The Baguette was the inspiration of Silvia Venturini who ran
away to South America when she was 17 shocking the 74-year old
Rome based fashion house
The baguette was launched in the Autumn of 1997 and even Fendi
admits it has no idea why the handbag has been so popular
Fendi’s baguette range started with Silvia ordering 12 to be
produced with a £3,100 price tag
Fendi keeps redesigning the baguette and the range includes
some geometric patterened needlepoint baguettes in sherbet
colours with lizard clasps and sequinned baguettes
One Fendi baguette takes 12 days to make as it is handwoven
silk which is woven at 5cm of fabric a day and there are only
three artists who are skilled enough to work the design
Silvia is now in charge of Fendissime, a new collection for
the younger set – so successful has the range been that in
1992 Karl Lagerfeld Fendi’s ready-to-wear designer since 1965
suggested Silvia take over Fendi’s accessories
Silvia has designed the famous Fendi Baguette buckle based on
the double FF logo that is Fendi’s trademark Fendi’s
reputation for luxury items was built on its high class
luxurious furs
Fashionista
Just call me...fashionista! Can't help but love what is on the
horizon for fall '99. The American film industry deserves the
Oscar for highlighting designer fashion to this degree. Can't
help but think of Rene Russo as the cashmere draped Catherine
Banning in the movie, "The Thomas Crown Affair." Of course,
she was wrapped up in a lot less for evening wear, but the
wardrobe department outdid itself in clipping terrific styles
by Michael Kors for Celine. This is the ultimate all-American
look, hands down.
A no-frills, clean design is how fall shapes up. The pieces
fall into place, the sportswear is spare, just a tad feminine
to smooth out the edges. These are the clothes we live in and
can count on, especially when the fabrics are the most ultra
quality to date.
Click here to view Fendi Handbags &
Purses for Sale Online.
Ferragamo
Even though the
range of products that Salvatore Ferragamo produces today is
far wider than in the past now including handbags, small
leather goods, scarves, ties, and men's and ladies'
ready-to-wear the original production method, despite an
obvious evolution since then, remains the same as sixty years
ago. That which carries the Ferragamo signature is derived
directly from its design to its manufacture from the house’s
headquarters.
In 1996,
Ferragamo acquired control of Emanuel Ungaro. In 1997 Bulgari
and Ferragamo set up a joint venture with the objective of
producing and selling perfume and cosmetics throughout the
world under the Ferragamo and Ungaro trademarks. In the second
half of 1998 the first Ferragamo fragrance was launched,
Salvatore Ferragamo pour Femme, followed by its bath line. In
the second half of 1999 the Salvatore Ferragamo pour Homme
fragrance and its bath line were launched on the market. Since
May 2000 the Salvatore Ferragamo pour Femme Summer Collection
has been available in exclusive perfumeries and department
stores worldwide.
Click here to view
Ferragamo Handbags & Purses for Sale Online.
Francesco Biasia
The trademark
Biasia styles are developed in its design laboratories, headed
by brother Claudio, and make full use of the best fabrics,
hardware and leathers that Italy has to offer. Contemporary
designs intended to enhance and complement the latest couture
and ready-to-wear trends are translated into handbags using
cutting edge technology. Fresh collections are offered each
season and designs run the gamut from dressy to casual to fill
the varied needs of today's dynamic lifestyles.
Click here to view
Francesco
Biasia Handbags & Purses for Sale
Online.
Franchi
Franco Franchi may be a newcomer
to the world of handbag design and manufacturing, but he comes
from a deep background in retailing. As former head of the
European operation for Associated Merchandising Corporation,
he built up a network of materials suppliers and manufacturing
contacts throughout the world. So, when he decided to start
his own company to design, manufacturer and sell handbags, he
knew exactly who he wanted to work with and where to go.
All design
work for the Franchi lines come from his home office in
Florence, Italy. The designs are then translated into handbags
in the Far East from a variety of high quality materials -
Italian leather, fabric from the Orient and Filipino straws.
Using a sometimes surprising combination of materials, Franchi
handbags are distinctively fresh and never boring.
The Franchi
design philosophy, according to Franco, is deceptively simple.
He keeps his finger on the pulse of ready-to-wear design
trends. He is always searching for new interpretation and
details. And, he believes that the Franchi line should be new
each season, ready to enhance whatever look is "in" and
perfect for the woman with a young attitude and a variety of
handbag needs.
Click here to
view
Franchi
Handbags & Purses for Sale Online.
Furla
The Furla family legacy began 77 years ago when Aldo
Furlanetto started his business as a trader in accessories. In
the 70’s Aldo’s children, Giovanna, Carlo and Paolo took over
the business and decided to develop the Furla brand
internationally. They created the Furla collection of luxury
accessories including handbags, small leather goods, jewelry,
belts, watches, scarves, hats, gloves, sunglasses and most
recently footwear. Based on elegance and femininity, and
techno-artisanal details, the Furla handcrafted Italian brand
is known for its affordable luxury.
Within the next 10 years, Furla opened several stores
worldwide and created a network of profitable franchises.
Furla was one of the first luxury brands to create a
franchising network, and to utilize a store concept that
became a “case study” for many companies for its innovative
merchandising and visual format.
In order to accelerate growth, in the 1980’s, Furla
established subsidiaries in 9 countries (USA, France, Spain,
UK, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Germany, Australia) and
established Furla’s presence in 64 countries worldwide.
Every Furla
collection is the result of research and interpretation,which
takes account of the past and observes the present, with the
future in mind. Because the true virtue of elegance lies not
in its power to amaze, but to interpret what is new and
translate it into a style.
Furla was founded in 1927. Villa Bellaria, close to the centre
of Bologna, houses the company headquarters. Built in the late
18th Century, this classical building has been returned to its
former splendour thanks to restoration work which has
maintained its architectural characteristics.
Click here to view Furla Handbags &
Purses for Sale Online.
Gucci
Guccio Gucci (1881-1953)
developed a taste for beauty and elegance as a young man while
working as a lift attendant in London's opulent Savoy Hotel at
the turn of the 19th century. In 1921, after his return to
Florence, he opened a shop at 7 Via della Vigna Nuova selling
luggage and saddlery, as well as a small workshop that
handcrafted them. In need of expansion, the workshop, which
also had begun to produce handbags as well as its original
equitation goods, was relocated to a larger space on Lungarno
Guicciardini along the Arno River in 1937. By this time the
iconic bit and stirrups, which were derived from the company's
origins and denoted the sophistication of the products, had
come to represent Gucci's success.
In 1938, the business expanded to Rome with the opening of a
shop on the prestigious Via Condotti. Under the limitations of
the Fascist dictatorship, imagination compensated for the
shortage of raw materials, as Guccio discovered the
distinctive potential of hemp, linen, jute and the signature
bamboo.
The one-man business became a
family business when sons Aldo, Vasco, and Ugo joined the
company in 1939. Another son, Rodolfo, later joined the
company and in 1951, he opened a shop in Milan. The opening of
the Manhattan store on 58th Street in 1953 launched the Gucci
brand as one of the pioneers of Italian design in the United
States.
The late 1940s through the 1960s brought the Gucci classics:
the bag with the bamboo handle (1947), the moccasin with the
metal bit (1952), and the flowered Flora silk scarf (1966)
created for Grace Kelly.
The unique designs and high quality materials became a symbol
of class and exclusivity worn by women of style such as Audrey
Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy, Maria Callas and the Duchess of
Windsor.
In 1953, the workshop moved to a yet larger location:
Florence's Palazzo Settimanni on Via delle Caldaie, the site
now occupied by Gucci's ultra-modern showroom.
In the 1950s, the trademark striped webbing, which was derived
from the saddle girth, became one of the company's great
successes. This signature detail appeared in a green/red/green
version for natural leather pieces and in blue/red/blue for
dyed leathers.
During this period, the company adopted the GG logo, taken
from the initials of its founder, as an ornamental motif for a
distinctive cotton fabric called GG canvas. This original
material was used in the making of handbags, accessories,
luggage and the first articles of clothing.
The inauguration of the Manhattan store in 1953 started an
overseas expansion that continued through the next two
decades. With the opening of stores in London and Palm Beach
(1963), Paris (1963) and Beverly Hills (1968), Gucci became a
success in the most important world markets.
In 1971, as the Chicago store was being launched, the
company's new factory opened in Scandicci, near Florence, and
the former workshop on Via delle Caldaie was transformed into
a showroom. Soon, shops in Tokyo (1972) and Hong Kong (1974)
marked the beginnings of a growing presence in the Far East.
Yet the company's rapid development did not lead to abandoning
expert handcraftsmanship: production continued to be
stringently managed and organized from the Florence
headquarters.
In 1982 the original Gucci became Guccio Gucci S.p.A., a
public limited company, and soon after its leadership passed
to Rodolfo Gucci's son, Maurizio. Between 1987 and 1989,
Investcorp, an international investment company, purchased the
50% of Gucci shares that were held by Aldo Gucci and his sons.
Maurizio Gucci retained the remaining 50% until 1993, when he
sold his entire share to Investcorp.
In 1994, Gucci Group NV was
incorporated. The same year, Tom Ford, previously Chief
Women's Ready-to-Wear Designer, was appointed as Creative
Director of Gucci's entire product range. His seminal
fall/winter 1995-1996 collection transformed Gucci's style
with a remix of classic and modern, tradition and innovation.
It was an immediate hit with the critics and the public and
marked the relaunch of the Gucci brand.
In 1995, Domenico De Sole was appointed as President and CEO
of Gucci Group NV after holding the position of President of
Gucci America Inc. (1984-1994) and Chief Operating Officer of
the Gucci Group (1994-1995). The De Sole-Ford team would
reinvent Gucci over the following years.
In October of 1995, Investcorp floated 48.2% of Gucci Group NV
on the New York and Amsterdam Stock Exchanges. The Initial
Public Offering was positively received by the market, leading
Investcorp to offer the remaining 51.8% of the company five
months later. Gucci's shares were in international demand.
The European Business Press Federation (U.P.E.F.E) recognized
Gucci's business achievements in 1998, selecting it as
European Company of the Year from among 4,000 other companies.
The award acknowledged Gucci's economic and financial
performance, its strategic vision and its management quality.
In July 1999, Gucci's independent shareholders voted
overwhelmingly in favor of an alliance with
Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR), a leader in specialized
distribution, which enabled Gucci to accelerate its strategy
to become a leading multi-brand luxury goods company.
The same year, Gucci Group NV acquired Yves Saint Laurent
Couture and Sanofi Beauté‚ a prestigious perfume and cosmetics
company that boasts YSL fragrances such as Opium and Paris, as
well as a wealth of other perfume licenses including Roger &
Gallet, Krizia, Fendi and Oscar de la Renta. In 1999, Gucci
Group NV also acquired a 70% controlling interest in Sergio
Rossi, a leading Italian luxury shoe company.
The growth of Gucci Group NV continues in 2000 with the
acquisition of Boucheron International S.A. Founded in France
in 1858, Boucheron has a long established heritage as one of
the world's most exclusive jewelry, watch and perfume brands.
Also in 2000, Gucci secured further control over its brands by
obtaining liscense rights held by Cartier International for
Yves Saint Laurent Couture watches and jewelry. Both moves
reflect Gucci's confidence in the global potential of the
jewelry and watches segments of the luxury goods market.
Click here to view Gucci Handbags &
Purses for Sale Online.
JP Tods
The story begins in the early 1900 when Diego Della Valle's
grandfather, Filippo founded a small shoe factory. In the
70's, a major turnaround: from a family run business to an
industrial company, this happens when Diego Della Valle enters
the firm and leads the development of the business.
Today, Tod's SpA is the operating holding of a Group, amongst
the leading players which produce and sell shoes and luxury
leather goods, with the brand names Tod's and Hogan, dealing
also in the casual wear sector with the brand FAY. The brands
of the group, all with their own personal identity, are linked
by the same philosophy, which distinguishes itself for a
well-balanced mix of tradition and modernity, high quality,
creativity and functionality.
The high standard of quality met by the products is guaranteed
by the strong craftsmanship involved in every and each phase
of the production: every product is hand made, crafted with
techniques of the highest skilled handcraftsmanship. After
various production steps and control phases the product is
destined to become an exclusive and distinguishable object.
Every brand includes products recognized to be "must have"
objects as for example, Tod's, Driving Shoe and D bag and
Hogan Traditional and Interactive shoes..
All products are crafted in the Groups' owned factories, a
total of 7 for shoes and 2 for leather goods, and in a limited
number of specialized laboratories (with which the Group has
bonded long term business relations). The buying of materials,
the supervision of all the production phases and the control
of the finished products, are centralized at the headquarters
- this is done for all of the products as well as for the ones
created in the external laboratories.
Click here to view
JP Tods
Handbags & Purses for Sale Online.
more designers >
|
