And then the next thing . I know it was . You know it's just been started to fall in place . I mean , that being said , it wasn't a straight line . There's a lot of zigs and zags to get to where we are today , but , you know , all challenges and obstacles kept pushing us forward , though .
Speaker 2Hi and welcome to Handbag Designer 101 , the podcast with your host , emily Blumenthal , handbag industry expert and the handbag fairy godmother . Each week , we uncover the stories behind the handbags we love , from the iconic brands and top designers to the creativity , craftsmanship and culture that define the handbag world . Whether you're a designer , collector or simply passionate about handbags , this is your front row seat to it all .
Speaker 3Welcome , frank Lamandola , to Handbag Designer 101 , the podcast . I'm excited to have you . Welcome , welcome .
Speaker 1It's good to be here , Emily .
Speaker 3Yeah , so , frank , you've been in handbags for a minute , haven't you ? So , frank , you've been in handbags for a minute , haven't you ?
Speaker 1Yeah , well , a little more than a minute . I started in the early 80s and it's been really interesting .
Speaker 1Thank you . The filter that I have on this helps a little , but no , really , I've been in this business for way over 40 years and it's been interesting . I mean it's been an interesting journey for me . I mean I've worked for a lot of different companies at a lot of different levels in terms of who we've developed any product for and who we're selling to . So I learned a lot . I'm still learning After all those years . I'm still learning and it's exciting I realize it's a real passion that I have just the idea of design products and where I get inspiration from . And , of course , in the 80s and 90s there was a lot of travel that was involved , so it really kept going .
Speaker 3Good times , yeah , good times Exactly . Before we get into you and how you've dealt with handbags on a large and small level . Being someone who's been in this long enough , do you see , based on the product lifecycle , something that's coming back that other people are so shocked about and you're like duh , this makes so much sense . Why wouldn't this come back ? I'm not really like .
Speaker 1I think you know , because I think a lot of things have sort of cycled throughout the years in terms of you know trends . I think you know , I think a lot of things have sort of cycled throughout the years in terms of you know trends , I think you know , or like brand , like logos , for example , you know , like it being really a predominant um sort of thing about like product people like aspiring to like things that have like names written across it . But I think what is happening , which which isn't really a surprise to me , is really like basic , well-made I mean , this is from my , in my world right now anyway but like really like sort of signature , but like like status signature , but like understated , like quiet luxury , I guess . So a good way to um , and it doesn't really surprise me because I mean , I've , like I said , I've seen it happen in cycles where things are like overly embellished and really like a lot of details to kind of like simple , clean , understated .
Speaker 3Do you have an opinion on novelty making a comeback ?
Speaker 1Yeah , I mean , listen , I love being in the business for so many years . I appreciate it all . I think it's really a lot of it's really really innovative . A lot of it's been done before . But you know , it's like I said , things cycle . But yeah , I have an appreciation for things that are super .
Speaker 3Not I mean , there's a place for everything , right yeah , you know , if you go back to bags from the 80s and so forth , it's obviously the quality was better because nobody had the capacity to produce mass the way they do now and the materials were not made so quickly . And , you know , using even Coach as bags that are slouchy , being representative of the market , being good because people don't care about where their things are . To hyper-structured , really stiff , neutral colors to represent where the market isn't doing as well , where people want everything in a certain place . Also , color is so people are going to put color into their collection . Then they need to know that they can offset the cost because they're not producing enough color pieces to charge the same amount . How do you stand in terms of like how people are developing collections versus what they are , what they were Like ? Do you see people changing their collections as frequently ? Do you think there's a point ? Do you think consumption is overwhelming now ? How do you see all of this ?
Speaker 1I see it in a lot of different ways . I really think it depends on the brand and who the customer is , who they're designing for , who they're selling to . There's a lot of brands that and I'll just use myself as an example , companies that I've worked for in the past every season , every market , there's a new collection to present the product that I'm working on now , which is my own collection . It's approached more like on a designer level , where there's styles that are added to , as opposed to taking away everything and adding new . So it's like building collections rather than you know , because , let's face it , most people would love most retailers , I think , love to have items such as around reorder , you know , whether you recolor it or fabricate it , but you know , and that's sort of you know . Like I said , I've worked kind of both ways where it's constantly turning over newness and it depends . I mean , some brands require that , where others are just , you know , tried and true to their signature silhouettes and implementing newness every season or every other season .
Speaker 3It's really a tricky balance . I agree , retailers would absolutely love to just place reorder , reorder , reorder , reorder . It would make their lives so much easier . Okay , let's bring it in a different color , we'll bring it in a different material , because they know their customer , or at least I'd hope they'd know their customer . I mean , I've had experiences in the past where I've dealt with buyers who overbought and as a result of that , my line got cut because they had too much inventory . And it was so problematic because you know , as someone on the other side , you're excited for these large orders and then to realize like oh damn , it's not my fault , they weren't bought , they definitely bought too much . So it's really hard , especially dealing with a buyer and saying maybe that's too much , like where to intervene and so forth , it's definitely difficult .
Speaker 1Yes , and you know whether it's the quantity of which they're buying , or sometimes I've been in it's definitely difficult great styles . At the end of the day , we all walk back to the saddle right , so sometimes it depends who the buyer is . Sometimes they choose things that are a little out there or has a little more of an edge to it , and sometimes that ends up being a liability as opposed to something that's tried and true .
Speaker 3At this point , knowing that you've done this so long , how many pieces do you really think are necessary in a collection ?
Speaker 1I could tell you . I mean , that's a very easy question to answer . So I've worked for companies I'm talking about within the past three , four years . I worked as a consultant , worked for companies where every season , 50 to 60 styles right and the buyer would end up and the customers would end up buying maybe out of that , like five to maybe five to six . Now that I have my own brand and I made this as a , you know , this is like a sort of my standard Eight styles , ten styles , and you get the same result . I get four styles selected . I think what it comes down to is really knowing , slowing down , really knowing , I feel like really knowing who the customer is and what the needs are , and being a little more confident rather than just throwing it and I think that comes a lot more from a sales perspective than it does from design . But throwing it on the wall and hoping something sticks mentality , you know . But that's sort of what I've been experiencing .
Speaker 3Well , considering you've been on both sides and being a designer , and I know in some brands the design team sits on the sales meetings . Sometimes they don't . It's really I keep using the word tricky , that's the word of this episode but it's definitely as a designer . Don't you think it's important to sit on all those meetings to truly understand ?
Speaker 1I think it's critical .
Speaker 1I mean because it's like playing telephone you get the information sort of diluted , passed down to you . But I mean I've always , I've sort of always insisted and I've been fortunate that I've always been part of those meetings . I'm always involved in those meetings and even before those meetings I mean in terms of developing product I've always enjoyed and believed it's really essential to include sales in the development process so they're part of it . It's not like going back way back in the day where a designer would go off to to the far east and develop product and bring it back and like present it to sales and they sight unseen .
Speaker 1I always enjoy including the sales people in the process , you know , and getting as much information from them as possible in terms of what's happening at retail , who's doing well , who's struggling , you know , at whether it's a price point , whether it's a color , whether it's a price point , whether it's a color , whether it's a fabrication . All that information is so essential in designing product . I mean it's not just like pretty bags . You know sizes , price points , hardware , no artwork . You know there's a lot of information that goes into designing .
Speaker 3With your experience you know so much has changed , but nothing's changed . How , as a designer , as a merchant , to this day , how do you handle product if it doesn't sell ? What is the dance that one needs to do to try and maintain this relationship with the buyer , the retailer , the e-tailer , whatever , the e-tailer whatever . How do you handle that ? If you know , do you eat it ? Do you say okay ? Do you say I'll swap it out ? Do you say I'll take markdowns Like what do you think is the best strategy to handle ? And obviously each retailer would be a different story .
Speaker 1Yeah , I mean , I was gonna say each case is a different scenario . I mean the one thing hopefully there's never that large of a liability scenario . I mean the one thing hopefully there's never that large of a liability . But and it's not , you know , as a new brand and you're just starting , so I don't really have a full history around that , but you know the idea of learning . You know , like , okay , looks like larger bags are performing better than , say , smaller bags and so hopefully there's not that much of a liability if the smaller bags haven't performed as well . But like , use it as an opportunity to say , okay , going forward , we're going to focus on Luckily I've been able to work with retailers that it's more of a partnership , so understanding that not everything's going to perform the same and that we're going to learn as we move forward .
Speaker 3How long have you been on your own now , this time ?
Speaker 1I've been on my own . It's probably around three years .
Speaker 3Was that an automatic jump as a result of having worked for people so many times and the screw this post-pandemic attitude like if there's ever a time , it's now .
Speaker 1It sort of happened organically this time around . I mean , I've attempted it many different times in collaboration with other businesses , factories and so forth .
Speaker 3suppliers why do you think this one's working ?
Speaker 1Well , this one happened organically and I think this time all the pieces to the puzzle are in place . I have a really , really amazing sales partner yeah , who's actually my business partner . She has tremendous years of experience in sales , and I have a very , very strong company that's supporting us , that we're part of , and I have amazing it's like stepping out of this situation right now . This new brand , this new company that I'm part owner of . It's like all the players are there the suppliers , the manufacturers , the retailers , and that's where it's like the stars have aligned this time around and it seems like it's it's working , you know . So it's exciting . It's like you know it only took 44 years for this to happen , but it's okay .
Speaker 3Do you think it could have happened any sooner in hindsight ?
Speaker 1probably not , not , not , I don't think . I think , you know , things happen when the time is right , when all , and I really believe that , and I didn't even . It's funny because the way this whole business came about , this brand came about , it wasn't sort of a plan , it was just sort of like a conversation . It started as a conversation and then the next thing I know it was it . You know , it's just been started to fall in place . I mean that . That being said , it wasn't a straight line . There was a lot of zigs and zags to get to where we are today , but all challenges and obstacles kept pushing us forward , though Do you think ?
Speaker 3and again , frank LaMandola , I just want to preface where have you worked ?
Speaker 1Just so everybody knows that these 40 plus years in handbags , a manufacturer of China but I remember back , you know there were I'm going way back they were actually manufacturing in Taiwan . It's how far back we were . But you know . So there was , I would say small , but they were . They were small companies but they were large . I mean they did a lot of business . And then , you know , as I moved into the later 2000s , it was like I don't know michael stevens oh my god , accessory network . But you know it's so accessory network .
Speaker 1From there it was like , I think with abe with abe gotta love abe when I just we just met a few months ago and we were trying to think of it's like 25 years ago maybe but you know and then lian feng , I mean , like you know , and then my gosh , but a lot of from that point , on a lot of the companies , the business I did was on a consultant basis , design consulting basis , so I was able to manage multiple lines . Yeah , so you know , but I'm sure it's like it's a very different . I'm imagining it's very different now for a large company .
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Speaker 3It's interesting . Yeah , I think the business has totally evolved . I and I talk a lot about this with my students that so many of them are so morally against Zara and H&M and Shein so morally against Zara and H&M and Shein , and they're so pro-sustainability and transparency , but they don't have the budget to spend on said places . So most of them find spend their money on a Depop , on a Poshmark , maybe going down the line to an eBay or sites where they can purchase used higher end product . Real , real , what goes around comes around because they say like , okay , that's so much better for the environment I can see .
Speaker 3But God knows , they all end up using those platforms one way or another to buy those one-off pieces , and those one-off pieces are what fund those sites Exactly . So there is this , I feel like bizarre juxtaposition of having to produce really , really , really fast versus producing thoughtful pieces that will stand the test of time . Because I know you've been on both sides and right now you are currently doing the latter . And just for everybody who's listening , what is the name of your brand ?
Speaker 1so the name of my brand is frank lamandola handbags made in italy , and that's sort of the hook on , you know , trying to differentiate what we could do . That's a little different than what's being done . And the idea , you know , going back . I mean I've shopped italy many , many years throughout my career for inspiration and so forth but like the idea , you know , going back . I mean , I've shopped italy many , many years throughout my career for inspiration and so forth but like the idea of like quality , you know , luxury like quality , but making it accessible .
Speaker 1You know , and and really , and I'm really proud . I'm very , very biased , I could be very biased , but I'm also very proud of the way these this product has been executed . You know , when I show it it's like you could just I mean , you don't even have to show , you just look at it . Even on screen you could see that there's quality involved . The way that the bags are constructed , the way they're , they're lined . You know they're fully lined in leather under the flaps .
Speaker 3You hardly ever see that , even even at higher price points can I ask you just out of curiosity , why did you name it yourself ? Did you think of a jazzy name , or it was just understood ?
Speaker 1I think , well , that wasn't really my idea . It was people I was involved with that were like no , you need to . I think the information that came to me and it wasn't from me , it was from the outside coming to me was after all these years , it's time to be visible , not only in your design
, but with who you are Hanging around for so many years in this business . Obviously , there's a passion that I have and I get to share it and to be able to share that and just be me . It's about me , slapped over everything , but I'm realizing and telling my story , you know , about my career and about my passion about , like , my love for design great design it just made sense to use my name made in italy .
Speaker 3I think made in italy . Yeah , how did you end up on qvc ? Or did the line start from qvc , like when it all happened ? Were you like , okay , we'll hit the retailers , we'll hit the boutiques , we'll hit the trade ?
Speaker 1shows or were you you like ?
Speaker 3absolutely no trade shows Like where do you stand with all of ?
Speaker 1that no trade shows . So you know I had been doing business with QVC as a consultant . I was working designing product but for other retailers as well QVC was one of them and I was , you know , part of my consulting gig was to also present on air .
Speaker 3So that was a new experience for me .
Speaker 1And so , and I really you know , and that was right after pandemic , so I started off doing that virtually and then it was in studio and it was just , I mean , as a designer , to be able to design the product , sell the product and then present it on air to like a very massive audience was such a different experience for me . So , anyway , so I was doing that , and then this conversation started with my business partner , slash friend for many , many years about doing our own thing . So we went ahead and did it . We created a collection , I discussed it , I presented it to QVC . But it wasn't just product that I was presenting , I was presenting a story , being in the business for so many years , being Italian , having a passion for Italy , a passion for great Italian design , and so it was a whole package that I think they believed in , they do believe in and they support , which really got us started .
Speaker 3So your first customer was QVC .
Speaker 1Yes , yes .
Speaker 3Are you selling it beyond QVC or is it a QVC native brand at this point ?
Speaker 1Right now we're only selling it on QVC , but as a new company , we're reaching out . We've expanded the product assortment and we're reaching out to other retailers , and not only , I should add . It's not just nationally , it's internationally , Companies that you know , companies in Italy , the UK . I mean there's no reason . The type of product , I believe that the type of product that we're developing is really it's for a larger market . I mean it's very it's classic . It's like design , classic but sort of timeless , and I think the whole quality thing is something that appeals to a larger audience .
Speaker 3Do you think because , just to switch over real quick about this , you had have a foray with food and the Food Network ? Do you think the fact that you were still in handbags but then doing food , do you think having these two mediums , if you will , that one helped the other ? That you know ? I think sometimes people say like , oh , if I move over to this I'm going to lose my relationship stature status in that how were you able to juggle the two ?
Speaker 1It's interesting it all happened at the same time . During pandemic , I was contacted by the Food Network . I was home like everyone else baking sourdough bread , and I was getting a little more creative with cake and cake design and just wore it out of my mind . But I was also teaching virtually as a culinary instructor and as a fashion design instructor , and so it was through social media that a casting agent reached out to me for Food Network , and at the same time I started working on the brand that was being pitched also to QVC under the contingency that I will go on air . So both things happened at the same time .
Speaker 3Oh , my goodness it was kind of wild .
Speaker 1I think the universe was trying to tell me something , and so there wasn't really a conflict . I mean because I'm able to multitask , especially when there's creative you know , something creative involved . So , yeah , it didn't really it wasn't really a conflict . I mean I did have to step down from teaching last year and focus completely on my business . I've been getting some emails about going on new shows on the Food Network but I realized it's a huge commitment because it could be a three-week . I remember I was out in Utah for three weeks filming Holiday Awards , yeah , and it's very stressful , a lot of stress going on doing those seven-hour competitions , but it was a lot of fun and it just yeah . I mean the whole idea is that two things that I love the most cooking , design , art and accessories it's like I'm at a point in my life , a point in my career , where I get to share it in like a really large way , aside from social media , you know . So it's been great , it's been a lot of fun .
Speaker 3Are you trained culinary kitchen food ?
Speaker 1I'm Italian , I love to . I guess that's who you treat . But I mean , I've done some catering .
Speaker 3Comma , I'm Italian .
Speaker 1I'm certified as far as like , being able to , you know like , handle food in a safe way , that type of thing . But you know , because I catered , I've done a lot of things . You know type of thing . But you know , because I catered , I've done a lot of things . I , you know , I talked to my I remember talking to my students and they're like , how many things have you done ? But I've had a floral business , I did weddings . I just love beautiful . I love beautiful things , I love creating things and I love , you know , like , even with handbags , like people see things and they love it . That that reaction that they get , like they want to have it to me . It's like I guess it's such a high I get , like from creating something that someone actually wants . It's very , uh , rewarding , very fulfilling as a creative person what's your favorite dish to make ?
Speaker 1my favorite dish . I love roasting things . I love holiday cooking . I love well , you know , it's like part of what I love is the planning of it . But I love roasting like slow roasted , whether it's a chicken , whether it's meat , whether it's fish , that kind of thing . It depends on the time of year . Like , obviously in the summer you know it's all about barbecue and grilling and stuff like that . But yeah , I love gardening also .
Speaker 3I'm like the male , martha Stewart , I guess you could say oh , my goodness , frank LaMandola . So , overall , in terms of where you would like to see your handbag brand go , is this going to stay exclusive Italy ?
Speaker 1Well , I'm not sure . I mean we've also , in addition to the Frank LaMandola brand that's out of Italy , there's also sub-brands that I've recently that were pitching to other retailers . You know , similar , look , different brand name , not necessarily in italy , and that's I mean there's a huge opportunity there . But like the made in italy , I feel like it has a real it's , it's create , it's creating its own like dna sort of . I mean again , we're just starting , so it's , it's a little I I would say that , but that's what I like to think . And then , as in terms of I mean I could see the brand , I mean my goal is to sort of develop a lifestyle brand in terms of whether it's fashion , whether it's a home . I really you know , now that I got a taste of it , you know I love vision and I love setting goals for myself .
Speaker 3I know girl , I am on the same page .
Speaker 1And not thinking about how it's going . I've learned that one day I've had a business coach , that I still work with full-of-life coach business coach , but it's like , don't get caught up in the how . It's all about setting the intention and just every day working towards it .
Speaker 3What made you get a coach pandemic ?
Speaker 1well , that was another thing . I was on a zoom meeting and I heard this woman speak and it was something about the way what she was saying and how she was saying it that like attracted me . I got , I asked for her information , we spoke , of course , I went on linkedin , I did like a deep dive into what she's all about and it turned out she was a coach and she worked under someone who was actually from the movie the Secret , that's like .
Speaker 3Oh , yeah , yeah , yeah , like right down $10,000 on the dollar . Yeah , yeah .
Speaker 1She worked with Bob Proctor who's a predominant person thought leader , I guess you would say back then and she was mentored by him , and so I just became very interested in working with her .
Speaker 3Do you think , as a result of working with her , there was a difference ?
Speaker 1Absolutely , absolutely . It's all about mindset . I just needed she was the messenger , like I could have probably picked up another book and read it , or whatever , but she was the messenger , like I could have probably picked up another book and read it or whatever , but she was the messenger . It's all about mindset and , in spite of all the difficulties and the challenges , it's all about mindset and setting intentions .
Speaker 3Oh my God , frank , I've been so moved just by this conversation . Frank LaMandola , how can we find you follow ? You get your beautiful handbags . Well , you get your beautiful handbags .
Speaker 1Well , you can get my beautiful handbags on QVC at the moment . You can follow me on Instagram . I have two I think it's Frank Lamandola and then Frank Lamandola handbags . I'm working with a virtual assistant to try to get that little more buttoned up . I'm also on Facebook . I'm also on TikTok , you're on TikTok . Yeah , I'm trying to like you and the kids .
Speaker 3Look at you .
Speaker 1You know what ? There's a lot of older people on TikTok too .
Speaker 3I know , I know the whole thing . I know I upload the mini clips of the episodes because people enjoy them there and I've done a handful of like . Here's this . Here's the history of that , but it is a struggle point . I think we grew up camera facing the other direction , so I still look at myself on camera and I'm like , oh , I can't do that I'm okay on this .
Speaker 1That's why I want to hire someone to help me , someone who's much younger . Yes , oh my gosh .
Speaker 3Frank , we can't wait to see where you go . Thank you so much for joining us .
Speaker 1It's great being here , thank you .
Speaker 2Thanks for listening . Don't forget to rate and review , and follow us on every single platform at Handbag Designer . Thanks so much . See you next time .