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Handbag Designer 101: The Stories Behind Handbag Designers, Brands, and Industry Icons
What does it take to create an iconic handbag brand? Each week, Emily Blumenthal—author of Handbag Designer 101 and founder of The Handbag Awards—dives deep into the stories behind the handbags we love. From world-renowned designers and rising stars to industry executives shaping the retail landscape, Handbag Designer 101 brings you the inside scoop on the creativity, craftsmanship, and business savvy it takes to succeed in the handbag world.
Whether you’re a designer, collector, entrepreneur, influencer, or simply passionate about handbags, this podcast is your front-row seat to the journeys of visionary creators, the origins of iconic brands, and the cultural impact of these timeless accessories. Discover valuable insights, expert advice, and the inspiration to fuel your love of handbags—or even launch your own brand.
Tune in every Tuesday to "Handbag Designer 101" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, or watch full episodes on YouTube, and highlights on TikTok.
Handbag Designer 101: The Stories Behind Handbag Designers, Brands, and Industry Icons
40+ Years of Handbag Mastery with Frank LaMendola 👜✨| Emily Blumenthal & Frank LaMendola
Step into the world of timeless design & craftsmanship with legendary handbag designer Frank LaMendola! With over four decades in the industry, Frank shares insights on fashion’s cyclical nature and today’s shift toward understated luxury & quality. 🔄✨
Frank also reveals plans for his new handbag brand, built on quality craftsmanship that resonates with today’s consumers. Whether you're a designer, entrepreneur, or handbag lover—this episode is a must-listen! 🎧
đź’ˇ Key Takeaways:
🔹 Sustainability’s Impact: How eco-conscious choices shape handbag design.
🔹 Balancing Trends & Timelessness: The art of introducing new designs while honoring classics.
🔹 Resourcefulness in Fashion: Navigating inventory challenges with creativity & strategy.
Our Guest: Frank LaMendola is a renowned handbag designer with over 40 years of experience, now launching his own brand focused on timeless craftsmanship, sustainability, and modern luxury.
Host Emily Blumenthal is a handbag industry expert, author of Handbag Designer 101, and founder of The Handbag Awards. Known as the “Handbag Fairy Godmother,” Emily also teaches entrepreneurship at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is dedicated to celebrating creativity, craftsmanship, and the art of building iconic handbag brands.
Find Handbag Designer 101 Merch, HBD101 Masterclass, one-on-one sessions, and opportunities to book Emily Blumenthal as a speaker at emilyblumenthal.com.
Buy Emily’s Books: “Handbag Designer 101” & “Savvy Suzanna’s Amazing Adventures in Handbags”
Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner
TikTok: / Handbagdesigner | Twitter: / Handbagdesigner
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 2:Hi 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 3:Welcome, frank Lamandola, to Handbag Designer 101, the podcast. I'm excited to have you. Welcome, welcome.
Speaker 1:It's good to be here, Emily.
Speaker 3:Yeah, 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 1:Yeah, well, a little more than a minute. I started in the early 80s and it's been really interesting.
Speaker 1:Thank 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 3:Good 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 1:I 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 3:Do you have an opinion on novelty making a comeback?
Speaker 1:Yeah, 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 3:Not 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 1:I 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 3:It'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 1:Yes, 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 3:At this point, knowing that you've done this so long, how many pieces do you really think are necessary in a collection?
Speaker 1:I 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 3:Well, 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 1:I think it's critical.
Speaker 1:I 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 1:I 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 3:With 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 1:Yeah, 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 3:How long have you been on your own now, this time?
Speaker 1:I've been on my own. It's probably around three years.
Speaker 3:Was 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 1:It 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 3:suppliers why do you think this one's working?
Speaker 1:Well, 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 3:Do you think it could have happened any sooner in hindsight?
Speaker 1:probably 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 3:and again, frank LaMandola, I just want to preface where have you worked?
Speaker 1:Just 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 1:From 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.
Speaker 2:If you ever wanted to start a handbag brand and didn't know where to start, this is for you. If you had dreams of becoming a handbag brand and didn't know where to start, this is for you. If you had dreams of becoming a handbag designer but aren't trained in design, this is for you. If you have a handbag brand and need strategy and direction, this is for you. I'm Emily Blumenthal, handbag designer expert and handbag fairy godmother, and this is the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass. Over the next 10 classes, I will break down everything you need to know to make, manufacture and market a handbag brand, broken down to ensure that you will not only skip steps in the handbag building process, but also to save money to avoid the learning curve of costly mistakes.
Speaker 2:For the past 20 years, I've been teaching at the top fashion universities in New York City, wrote the Handbag Designer Bible, founded the Handbag Awards and created the only Handbag Designer podcast. I'm going to show you like I have countless brands to create in this in-depth course, from sketch to sample to sale. Whether you're just starting out and don't even know where to start or begin, or if you had a brand and need some strategic direction, the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass is just for you. So let's get started and you'll be the creator of the next it bag. Join me, emily Blumenthal, in the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass. So be sure to sign up at emilyblumenthalcom slash masterclass and type in the code PINECAST to get 10% off your masterclass today.
Speaker 3:It'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 3:But 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 1:so 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 1:You 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 3:You 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 1:I 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 3:I 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 1:shows or were you you like?
Speaker 3:absolutely no trade shows Like where do you stand with all of?
Speaker 1:that 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 3:So that was a new experience for me.
Speaker 1:And 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 3:So your first customer was QVC.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes.
Speaker 3:Are you selling it beyond QVC or is it a QVC native brand at this point?
Speaker 1:Right 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 3:Do 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 1:It'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 3:Oh, my goodness it was kind of wild.
Speaker 1:I 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 3:Are you trained culinary kitchen food?
Speaker 1:I'm Italian, I love to. I guess that's who you treat. But I mean, I've done some catering.
Speaker 3:Comma, I'm Italian.
Speaker 1:I'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 1:my 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 3:I'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 1:Well, 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 3:I know girl, I am on the same page.
Speaker 1:And 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 3:What made you get a coach pandemic?
Speaker 1:well, 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 3:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, like right down $10,000 on the dollar. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:She 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 3:Do you think, as a result of working with her, there was a difference?
Speaker 1:Absolutely, 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 3:Oh 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 1:Well, 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 3:Look at you.
Speaker 1:You know what? There's a lot of older people on TikTok too.
Speaker 3:I 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 1:That's why I want to hire someone to help me, someone who's much younger. Yes, oh my gosh.
Speaker 3:Frank, we can't wait to see where you go. Thank you so much for joining us.
Speaker 1:It's great being here, thank you.
Speaker 2:Thanks 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.
