What does it take to turn a spark into a bag you can actually hold? We sit down with founder and designer Lauren Reed, who left corporate life, partnered with generational leather artisans in Guatemala, and launched her brand in just 47 days from idea to first sample. Lauren shares how retail experience shaped her product instincts, why vegetable-tanned leather and upcycled denim linings were non-negotiable, and how clear standards on craft, ethics, and function allowed her to move fast without cutting corners.

Key Takeaways:
• Speed needs standards — Move quickly, but never at the expense of materials or values.
• Product first, story second — Narrative only works when the bag performs.
• Set non-negotiables — Clear brand DNA makes tough decisions easier.

Our Guest:
Lauren Reed is the founder and designer of a purpose-driven handbag brand produced in partnership with generational leather artisans in Guatemala. Focused on vegetable-tanned leather, thoughtful function, and ethical production practices, she blends retail insight with disciplined execution to build bags designed to age beautifully and perform in everyday life.

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.

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What makes a bag feel powerful the second someone spots it across the floor—and why does that magic disappear when brands scale? We sit down with Matthew Lafargue of Accessory Think Tank to unpack lessons from the Macy’s sales floor to leading $1.8B in wholesale. Matthew explains how service, presentation, and training shape perceived value more than spreadsheets ever could—and why clarity in assortments, hero products, and tiering protects brands as they grow.

Key Takeaways:
• Perception drives performance — Store experience shapes value before price does.
• Protect the halo — Hero styles anchor growth and prevent brand confusion.
• Test tight, scale smart — Clean buys and strong sell-through beat bloated assortments.

Our Guest:
Matthew Lafargue is a retail and wholesale strategist at Accessory Think Tank, with experience spanning department stores and billion-dollar accessory portfolios. Known for blending field insight with financial rigor, he helps brands sharpen presentation, strengthen hero products, and scale without losing their edge.

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.

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

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Retail isn’t dying—it’s recalibrating. We sit down with William Brobston of the Brobston Group, to explore the shift from oversized, anonymous stores to smaller, neighborhood spaces where teams know your name and brands feel personal. Drawing from experience across luxury fashion, jewelry, beauty, and home, William explains why e-commerce owns convenience but human connection builds loyalty—and how brands that invest in people, not just product, are pulling ahead.

Key Takeaways:
• Convenience is table stakes — Connection is the moat.
• Invest in people, not just products — Teams translate brand into loyalty.
• Local wins — Smaller formats and mono-brand stores are redefining retail growth.

Our Guest:
William Brobston is a retail leader with experience spanning luxury fashion, jewelry, beauty, and home. Known for building high-performing teams and blending retail anthropology with analytics, he advises brands on how to localize assortments, elevate in-store storytelling, and create community-driven growth in an evolving market.

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.

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

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What turns a love of making into an accessories brand people stop you on the street to ask about? We sit down with Anyah Sealy, founder of A by Anyah, to trace a path shaped by global training, hard critiques, and real market feedback. From early beading classes in Ghana to design school in Paris and rotations across major fashion houses, Anyah shares how craft, data, and adaptability combine to create bags that photograph beautifully and hold up in real life.

Key Takeaways:
• Detach ego from product — The customer, not the designer, makes the final call.
• Craft + commerce win together — Material knowledge and pricing discipline sharpen creativity.
• Build heroes, cut the rest — Staying power comes from focus, not excess.

Our Guest:
Anyah Sealy is the founder and creative director of A by Anyah, a handbag brand rooted in global craftsmanship and modern functionality. With training spanning Ghana, Paris, and major fashion houses across menswear, womenswear, and kids, Anyah brings a rare blend of emotional design and market intelligence to accessories built for everyday impact.

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.

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

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What makes a bag feel alive after years of use—not just intact? We sit down with Grant Anderson, founder of Uptown Common, to explore how hand sewing, vegetable-tanned leather, and solid brass hardware reshape durability into desire. Grant breaks down why quiet construction details matter more than logos, how pricing honestly protects makers, and what it takes to build products that improve—not disappoint—with age.

Key Takeaways:
• Craft is a practice, not a claim — True quality comes from repeatable habits, not labels.
• Price for reality, not romance — Underpricing breaks makers long before it serves customers.
• Scale without dilution — Apprenticeship and end-to-end making preserve integrity as you grow.

Our Guest:
Grant Anderson is the founder of Uptown Common, a leather goods brand built on hand sewing, vegetable-tanned leather, and heirloom construction. Known for his disciplined approach to craft and pricing, Grant also founded Leather Reserve, expanding access to high-quality Italian leathers for independent makers committed to materials that patina, perform, and last.

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.

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

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What happens when a dream job disappears—and the real opportunity is right at home? In this episode, designer Ana Laverde shares how a Milan-trained industrial designer transformed a setback into a focused handbag brand rooted in Colombian leather, systems thinking, and disciplined edits. Ana explains how her background in luxury packaging shaped her approach to bags as functional objects for daily life, why sourcing in Bogotá’s Restrepo district became a competitive edge, and how proximity to production protects quality, margins, and brand DNA. From killing slow styles to leading wholesale with proven best sellers, she breaks down how testing through pop-ups, trimming color palettes, and partnering with a numbers-driven advisor turned creativity into repeatable wins—without losing identity.

Key Takeaways:

• Design is a system — Structure, function, and durability come before decoration.
• Edit to scale — Kill slow styles, lead with best sellers, and let data guide risk.
• Proximity is power — Staying close to production safeguards quality and cash.

🎧 Listen now for a grounded look at how craft, commerce, and clarity build resilient brands.

Our Guest:
Ana Laverde is a Colombian handbag designer and industrial designer trained in Milan. With a background in luxury packaging and a hands-on approach to sourcing and production, she builds leather handbags defined by sharp edits, functional design, and repeatable commercial success—proving that focus and systems can turn craft into scale.

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.

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

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What does it really take for a heritage brand to become part of everyday culture? In this episode, Lew Frankfort—former CEO of Coach and author of The Bag Man—shares how Coach scaled from a small leather workshop into a global brand by designing for real life, not runway moments. Lew breaks down why he focused on “share of closet” over one-hit wonders, how early DTC testing and customer data shaped collections, and the craft decisions—like lighter-weight leather and functional silhouettes—that turned comfort into a competitive edge. He also reflects on Coach’s expansion into Japan in the 90s, the power of signature materials, and today’s brand stewardship with Stuart Vevers and Todd Kahn, where sustainability, vintage, and experiential retail are signals of listening, not gimmicks.

Key Takeaways:

• Design for real life — Function, comfort, and repeat use build lasting loyalty.
• Data beats instinct alone — Zip codes, psychographics, and field testing reveal what customers won’t say.
• Stewardship over seasons — Legacy brands win by evolving their codes, not abandoning them.

🎧 Listen now for a masterclass on building a brand that’s both human and durable.

Our Guest:
Lew Frankfort is the former CEO of Coach and author of The Bag Man. Over more than three decades, he helped transform Coach into a global leader in accessible luxury by blending craftsmanship, customer insight, and disciplined brand strategy—setting a blueprint for how heritage brands can scale without losing their soul.

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.

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

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What happens when a Birkin is treated as an asset instead of a trophy? In this episode, Dana Auslander, founder of Luxus, breaks down how she built a private investment fund around Hermès quota bags—where discipline, data, and liquidity drive returns, not hype. Drawing on her background in law and finance, Dana explains why diversification can outperform a single headline purchase, how institutional-grade sourcing and third-party authentication make handbags investable, and why exit strategy matters more than chasing rare exotics. She also challenges viral myths about Birkin appreciation, shares what actually sells (size and neutral colorways), and makes the case for why Hermès is the only handbag brand that meets an investment standard.

Key Takeaways:

• Discipline over hype — Data, diversification, and timing matter more than rarity.
• Liquidity creates returns — Exit channels define success more than acquisition.
• Hermès is singular — Quota bags are uniquely positioned as investment-grade assets.

🎧 Listen now for a clear-eyed look at luxury handbags as a serious alternative asset class.

Our Guest:
Dana Auslander is the founder of Luxus, a private asset fund focused on Hermès quota bags. With a background in law and finance, she built Luxus to bring structure, transparency, and rigor to handbag investing—treating iconic luxury not as fashion, but as a portfolio strategy.

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.

Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner

TikTok: / Handbagdesigner | Twitter: / Handbagdesigner