November 25, 2025 • 41 mins
Ever wonder why some emerging handbag brands thrive while others stall before launch? In this episode, Nicole Levy of Baikal Handbag Manufacturing breaks down the real operations behind successful accessories brands—from timelines and tariffs to minimums, materials, and distribution strategy.
Nicole explains why your first collection should be three or four tightly connected styles (not 15), how a repeatable signature builds brand recognition faster than trends, and why military olive is this season’s sleeper hit. She walks through the production ladder that actually works—sample domestically, run 10-piece U.S. test batches, then move core colors to ~150-unit overseas minimums—and how pricing files reveal whether wholesale is financially viable before you burn cash. We also get into boutiques versus department stores, what materials truly perform, and how 3D modeling elevates hardware without crushing your budget.
✨ 3 Takeaways:
• Start focused, scale intentionally — A small, cohesive collection and a clear signature outperform sprawling assortments every time.
• Know your numbers before you produce — Pricing files, MOQs, freight timelines, and margins determine viability long before retail does.
• Choose distribution that builds loyalty — Boutiques drive discovery and repeat D2C sales in ways department stores rarely can.
👤 Our Guest:
Nicole Levy is the founder of Baikal Handbag Manufacturing, a full-service development and production partner for emerging and established brands. With deep expertise in domestic small-batch manufacturing, overseas production, materials, hardware, and costing, she helps designers build collections that are both beautiful and financially sound. Her work has supported projects ranging from Western luxury to government-funded initiatives using innovative leathers.
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.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
So I feel like there's an opportunity for my
clients in particular because weare so obsessed with the
material and the handmade feelhere that I think that our
product stands out among thelike made in China, made in
Cambodia, and hundreds andhundreds of units without any
(00:20):
like love and care.
You could feel it.
So the few brands that we'redoing now, we're we're actually
launching, I think, six brandsin the next three months.
Not us, but we're we finisheddeveloping over the last year
and a half, and they're gonna belaunching over the next two,
three months, six, six brands.
And it just makes me happy thatI know that some of these
(00:44):
leathers are from like the toptanneries in Italy and Germany,
and the hardware, some of it'sfrom like the top hardware
factories in Italy.
And I know that they were madein like small batches by hand
crafted here, and you could seeit.
You could see it by looking atit.
They look different.
SPEAKER_00 (01:02):
Hi, and welcome to Handbag Designer 101 the podcast
with your host, EmilyBlumenthal, handbag industry
expert, and the handbag PerryGodmother.
Each week we uncover the storiesbehind the handbags we love from
the iconic brands and topdesigners, the creativity,
craftsmanship, and culture thatdefine the handbag world.
Whether you're a designer,collector, or simply passionate
(01:23):
about handbags, this is yourfront row seat to it all.
Welcome, Nicole Levy of BaikalHandbag Manufacturing.
Welcome back.
I said you're my residenthandbag factory manufacturing
(01:44):
person.
So as the expert of all thingshandbags, manufacturing, and
factories, welcome.
SPEAKER_01 (01:51):
Thank you so much for having me back, Emily.
Great to be here.
SPEAKER_00 (01:55):
Good, good.
Oh, see, you're a natural.
I told you.
Great to be back.
Good.
So there were a couple things.
Like we had a whole laundry listof things we wanted to cover
just because you know thequestions that designers come in
and ask.
You know what's going on withthe factories.
There's a tariff situation thatseems to still be going on.
Let's just get down to thebasics.
(02:17):
Like, what is the state of theunion of how handbags are
working?
Like, what are you seeing trendsare with designers coming in and
then you saying, like, hold on,don't do that.
This will sell more.
SPEAKER_01 (02:29):
Go.
So, what's going on right now?
I mean, the tariff situation ishuge.
People are scared.
People don't know what's goingon.
I mean, sometimes the tariff isover 100%, sometimes it's not.
So that's been big.
We've been getting a lot ofphone calls from people who
manufacture overseas to see ifthere's a possibility if they
(02:51):
can manufacture in the USA.
So that's been exciting.
There's been a lot of interestin made in USA lately.
In terms of the people thatwe're working with now, I am
seeing a lot of Western luxury.
So we have a few Texan brandswho are launching soon that
we're working with.
It's kind of like a Ralph Laurenelevated, a little bit more
(03:12):
edge, and we're really lovingit.
There's a few governmentprojects we're actually working
on that want made-in-USA onlymanufacturing.
So a military project, aninvasive species project.
That's been really interestinglately.
What's invasive species?
Like what?
So, like the alligators inFlorida that are invasive.
(03:35):
There's also lizard that'sinvasive.
So there's a company we'reworking with that's doing
incredible treatments on theseskins, and they're using them
for government projects, whichis really interesting, really
beautiful things.
SPEAKER_00 (03:49):
That's so cool.
Can I ask you?
Because I know we're gonnabopity bop and go back and forth
a lot.
Like when designers come in,right, and they have these
hopes, wishes, and dreams, howmany bags do you tell them to
start with?
Like, what do you say?
Like, okay, hi Nicole.
I have been dreaming of becominga handbag designer.
(04:10):
I have this great idea becausethat's what everybody says.
And it's something I've neverseen before because that's what
they all say.
What do you ask them?
Like, what's the order ofoperations?
Like, what do we do?
SPEAKER_01 (04:21):
So I get some people coming in here with like one
piece at a time.
And then I had a client theother day who came in with a
15-piece collection.
And I would say both of thoseare extremes.
I usually say start with threeor four.
Development is not cheap, ittakes time.
So you really want to launchsoon.
If you have too many styles, youcan't launch quickly.
(04:42):
There's just too muchdevelopment time that's wasted.
So I would say three or four isa good start.
SPEAKER_00 (04:49):
Now, when you're saying three or four, is it
three or four like a miniregular size and an oversized
all of the same silhouette?
Or are you like, okay, you needa tote.
You have to have a tote, youhave to have a crossbody.
Like, are there things that yousay to them like, this is not
that?
Like, what do you say?
Like in terms of, or do you say,okay, if that's what you want to
(05:11):
do, like in terms of direction,what do you, what do you like to
buy them to saying, like forwhat will be sellable?
SPEAKER_01 (05:18):
So if it's a regular handbag brand, I mean we we do
some unique brands as well, butif it's just a regular handbag
brand, I really drive that youshould have like a signature
look to start.
So not necessarily make onesmall, one big, but kind of
cross over something that'ssignature to your brand over
(05:39):
just a few pieces.
So it could be three big pieces,it could be two big pieces, two
small pieces, but there shouldbe a cohesive design direction,
vision, something signature toyour brand.
SPEAKER_00 (05:51):
So are there silhouettes that you say, like
right now in terms of trending?
What do you think right now isthe bag that the silhouette that
you're like, I am so surprisedit's made a comeback?
Like I'm still shocked about theclutch.
SPEAKER_01 (06:06):
Like this is my new the hobo is back.
I I don't know.
I have so many clients makinghobos again.
I didn't think that would comeback for a long time.
The slouchy boho hobo, yeah.
Really?
Oversized?
Regular size, just medium size.
I mean, I was thinking peopleare staying more structured, the
satchels, small and large uhstructured totes, but they're
(06:29):
doing boho, especially in Texas.
SPEAKER_00 (06:32):
Wow.
So, you know, there's aconnection between the
silhouette shape and what'sgoing on in the market.
So, you know, the perception isthat if the bags are structured,
people are really holding on totheir purse strings.
People want to keep thingstogether, they want to make sure
everything's organized.
(06:53):
Once that boho hobo comes back,people are like, whatever, I
don't care.
Let's throw it in, balls to thewall.
Like, it doesn't matter.
Let's see what's gonna stick.
So I think that's a veryinteresting state of the union
that hobos are back, that peoplealso seem to be trending with
(07:14):
that, right?
Because there's no structurewith that.
You put something in a hobo, youcan't find it.
Like it's gone, it's an abyss.
SPEAKER_01 (07:20):
Listen, I'm surprised too, but I'm producing
hundreds of hobos right now.
But there are always the clientswho are doing the opposite.
So we just had a brand that wedeveloped a whole structured,
large-size tote collection forlike the modern working New York
woman, I would say, or CityGirl.
(07:42):
So those are really beautifuland like the total opposite.
So I can't really say there'sone thing or another going on
here.
We have a little bit of extremejust because our clients are
from all over and everyone hastheir own tastes.
But I mean, I like both.
SPEAKER_00 (07:58):
Right, right, right, right.
And do you think, in terms ofpalette, that we're still
looking at neutrals?
Like, is it still neutral forthe when?
SPEAKER_01 (08:09):
I mean, my Texan brands are doing like dark
browns and cognac and tobaccoand olive, all neutrals.
There's almost no color in thosebrands.
But like if you were to pick upthe colour, I mean spring is
spring is coming.
I just had to source liketextured exotics in all
different spring colors for aclient because they want to
(08:30):
launch spring in in uh February.
SPEAKER_00 (08:33):
Right, right, right, right.
If you were to pick a colorthough that you see, like a
color color that you see thatpeople that's resonated with
green, military green is thecolor.
SPEAKER_01 (08:43):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (08:44):
So that's the pop of color now, military green.
SPEAKER_01 (08:47):
Military green is the color.
SPEAKER_00 (08:49):
That is a very interesting juxtaposition
between an unstructured bag anda military green.
It's like on the one hand,you're not paying attention
because there's no structure,but on the other hand, you want
to kind of fade into the backbecause color all has
representation of something,right?
Mm-hmm.
That's so weird.
(09:11):
Are you seeing these thingshappening before they are?
Like, are you like, okay, I cansee what's coming based on the
requests?
SPEAKER_01 (09:18):
Honestly, people are just trying things.
I think that the olive greencomes from just like fashion
trend for the season.
Um, it's in a lot of like highfashion designer clothing and
things like that.
And people are pulling from, youknow, the runway looks and
they're kind of like throwing itin.
Since we can do things prettyquickly here, you know, the fast
(09:39):
turnaround, they're justthrowing an olive run of 30
pieces of this style becauseit's hot right now.
So I'm like, okay.
SPEAKER_00 (09:47):
So if I was working with you, at what point would
you say, okay, let's startlooking into overseas
production?
Like, how many units do youthink one needs to sell before
they start thinking of doing itoverseas?
SPEAKER_01 (10:02):
I don't really see an exact time frame.
Some clients need to go overseaslike from the beginning.
Like some people's price pointis just so far from what the USA
price point is that I tell them,listen, if you want to work with
me, your only option is to makesamples here.
And then we do the first run inoverseas, and you have to just
do the quantity that theyrequire.
(10:24):
But other brands I, you know,that have a slightly higher
price point, I would say evenafter one or two production
runs, they could start overseas.
I'm doing like 150-pieceminimums overseas.
So it's not that intimidating.
Usually they'll do three or fourcolors within that minimum.
So I would say to clients thatwork with me, I say keep your
(10:46):
most popular colors we can dooverseas.
And then the more the moreunique colors we can do locally
in smaller batches and faster.
But I always say this we shoulddo both the US and the overseas
at the same time.
Because when you we place anorder overseas, it's kind of
like place it and forget it.
Like just forget it exists forfive, six months.
It doesn't exist.
(11:06):
So if you want to keep moving inthe meantime, we still have to
do US, you know, manufacturingand the things that we could
turn around in a month, twomonths.
We still have to be doing thosethings.
And then the, you know, if youreally want to get the best
price, you have to ship IC,which adds another month to the
timeline.
So those goods will eventuallycome and they'll be an amazing
price point, but it takes time.
SPEAKER_00 (11:30):
Do you work with them in terms of what then their
wholesale price would be?
Because that's pretty tricky interms of mathematics, right?
Because you have to merge themtogether.
Because economies of scale,right?
The more you produce, the lessyour cost is.
If you are, and I and I talkabout this in class, that
(11:52):
usually taking on a new color isa risk to a brand.
So you can always see how wellthey're doing by the amount of
color they have in theircollection because they can
afford to do it.
Because it's not cheap.
Because chances are tomanufacture the color is more
expensive than the black, brown,red, nude, beige, blah, blah,
(12:13):
blah.
You're doing more quantity withthose.
So, do you help them in terms ofdetermining what their price
points are to amortize theoverseas production versus the
domestic?
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SPEAKER_01 (12:51):
We usually work backwards.
So when a client comes in here,one of my first questions is
what's your price target?
And some of them don't evenknow.
Some of them say a number that'sreally out there.
Like they'll be making like aluxury style bag and they'll
say, I want to retail this for$120.
And they're calling a USmanufacturer.
So sometimes I have to just stopand do a little bit of
(13:14):
education.
But most people have like someunderstanding of the market and
where they have to be.
So if they start and say, youknow, I want to be at a$300
retail price target, I usuallysay you're a little low for the
US.
So you can do overseas, or youcould start in the US and not be
profitable in the beginninguntil you're ready to move on.
(13:35):
So you're you're kind of low.
But if they have like a$500price point and up for like
bigger, more complicated bags,then I would say they can choose
between the US or the overseas.
And then we kind of, you know,once the sample is complete, I
send each client a pricing filefor that style.
So they can see if they're doingour minimum, which is 10 pieces
(13:58):
per color, this is your price,you know, 30, 50, 100, and so
on.
So they can see, you know, if Ican stay in the US and I can do
100 pieces, you know, this is myprice and that is my price.
And I also have on that samepricing file the overseas price.
So you can really quickly andeasily see what financially will
(14:18):
be the best option for you,especially if you're doing a
wholesale business.
So wholesale is verycompetitive.
I mean, there's the departmentstores want this high margin.
And when you add the labor, thematerials, all the marketing you
put in, your time plus yourmargin, it's it's just it's very
small window that you have leftwhen wholesale.
(14:40):
So sometimes people are justeating it just so that they can
be on the shelves at thisdepartment store.
They'll just do wholesale andjust not make profit there.
Or they're doing a wholesalebusiness as their strategy.
And then we have to get thevolume up.
We have to do things overseas inbigger quantities, we have to
cut the cost of the materials asmuch as possible.
(15:02):
So there is an option for each,but it really depends on the
client strategy.
SPEAKER_00 (15:08):
That's so interesting because you said
about wholesale.
And you and I talk about this alot, that a lot of these smaller
brands tend to neglectboutiques.
And boutique business is so muchmore effective, profitable,
marketing driven than goingstraight into department stores
(15:31):
because most department storesnow it's either drop ship, they
won't buy inventory, you'restuck holding on to the product,
and then you become like athird-party essential
third-party sales per the salesbrand for them.
Boutiques, you may get them toplace an order.
The order might not be big, butyou'll get your money, right?
(15:53):
You can develop relationships,the product will sell, you could
do events, like they want you tobe successful as a result of
them making that investment inyou.
So I again I wouldn't havecreated this partnership with
New York now to create thissection called it bags,
specifically because there is noreal opportunity for independent
(16:16):
designers to sell their productat wholesale to get into
boutiques.
Because as a smaller brand, weall know how the most of these
brands work because you dealwith them.
They're usually alone.
It's very isolating.
They really don't have anybodyto discuss this with.
They're making all thesedecisions by themselves or with
you, Nicole, because you'reprobably the only person they
(16:37):
have to run these ideas by, youknow, pricing, concept, brand,
trend.
And it's lonely.
And people right now are soswept up in D2C, like having a
strong, strong following onInstagram, selling direct to
consumer.
And that's awesome because youget to keep the margin, you get
to keep the markup, but it's notrealistic to think that you're
(16:59):
going to be able to reach asmany people if you don't have
local boutiques on the groundselling your product.
I mean, that's the that's thesuccess story, ironically, of
Claire V, Claire Vivier wassolely through boutiques.
So I think a lot of people tendto forget that because they get
swept up into I need to be asuperstar on Instagram or on
(17:20):
social, and I need to make surethat I'm in a huge department
store so I could have that flexof saying, like, I'm in
Nordstrom or something.
But so I just spoke to adesigner before who is
international and she wastalking about getting into print
ump.
And I'm like, you're not ready.
You don't want to be in there.
You know, you're gonna get lost,especially when your price point
(17:43):
is higher than some of the majorbrands there who can afford to
sell the product like under 500US.
So it's a tricky dance.
SPEAKER_01 (17:53):
So the thing about me is that I'm not only just
manufacturing their bags, I'malso their consumer.
So I am a consumer of luxurywomen's bags.
It's a passion of mine.
So I personally cannot buy a bagor product on someone's website
if I haven't touched and felt ortried on their quality.
This goes for bags and this goesfor clothing.
(18:15):
So I think the boutiques are soimportant because when you touch
and feel something from a brandeven once, and you understand
what that quality is, even lateron when they have other styles
in the future, years from now,you'll remember that you touched
and felt that product then andtheir quality was good and you
associate it with their brand.
(18:36):
So the boutiques are extremelyimportant.
You know, when I walk through,like I come into Penn Station
and I walk like five blocks tothe office.
But when it's raining or it'scold, I walk through Macy's.
Macy's and you know, 34thStreet.
So I don't know if you've beenthere, but they move the whole
handbag section to the center,front and center.
(18:57):
When you walk into Macy's from7th Avenue, it's all the handbag
section is there now.
I guess it's good for theirtraffic.
So when I walked in there, I waspretty surprised that I didn't
even know some of the brandsthat were being shown there.
And I noticed that almost all ofit was made in Asia.
Like in Macy's, it's not thehighest price point, but trendy,
(19:22):
but the whole section was thesebrands that I kind of never
heard of.
I mean, there was a Minkoffmixed in there, Hammett was
mixed in there, but there wereother ones that I never heard
of.
And honestly, they got lost.
There was a coach there,there's, you know, Michael Kors
and those little brands werelost there.
But if you were, let's say, in aboutique sitting next to like
(19:43):
curated brands and curatedproduct that the boutique owner
handpicked themselves at a show,it's kind of like niche, and
you, you know, you're more drawnto it and you don't get as lost.
So I do like what you're doingwith the whole it bag at the New
York Gift show.
I think it's great that thatstores come and pick up these
(20:05):
new designers, and you know,people can touch and feel in all
different cities.
SPEAKER_00 (20:10):
Because people always remember that experience.
Like I was in this boutique, andthis is where I discovered this
brand.
This is where I discovered thisbag.
And that's exactly what yousaid.
There's an emotional connectionto discovering something that
you've never seen before.
And it's like, oh my God, whatis this?
It's so beautiful.
It speaks to me because youknow, it's an oversaturated,
(20:31):
choked market handbags.
Like you and I both know that.
Nobody is splitting the atomwhen it comes to a handbag,
right?
Like everything's been done.
So the whole essence of tryingto be a new brand, a designer,
it's really coming down to whatis your take on an existing
silhouette?
And much like you said, what'syour DNA and putting your spin
(20:55):
on it to make it yours?
Now, whether it was inspired bysomebody else, it really comes
down to putting your own stampon it to ensure that like it's
you and not anybody else.
SPEAKER_01 (21:08):
So there's something I did notice when I was at the
department store recently isthat some of the bigger
companies I notice have beenlike a little bit cheapening out
on their materials, on theirmanufacturing.
Like you just feel it when youlook at their product.
Like when they began, it waskind of like a little more
elevated, and now it seems likethey're maybe bought by
(21:31):
investors.
You know, they're cut, cut, cut.
Like the styles are so simple,the material is just terrible.
So I feel like there's anopportunity for my clients in
particular because we are soobsessed with the material and
the handmade feel here that Ithink that our product stands
(21:52):
out among the like made inChina, made in Cambodia, and
hundreds and hundreds of unitswithout any like love and care.
You could feel it.
So the few brands that we'redoing now, we're we're actually
launching, I think, six brandsin the next three months.
Not us, but we're we finisheddeveloping over the last year
(22:13):
and a half, and they're gonna belaunching over the next two,
three months, six, six brands.
And it just makes me happy thatI know that some of these
leathers are from like the toptanneries in Italy and Germany,
and the hardware, some of it'sfrom like the top hardware
factories in Italy, and I knowthat they were made in like
small batches by hand, craftedhere, and you could see it, you
(22:37):
could see it by looking at it.
They look different, they feeldifferent, they feel elevated.
So I'm really excited aboutthese.
And I'm really excited thatrecently that we have a bunch of
clients that are really goingfor it.
So I always say, like, this isnot the business to dabble in.
It's just, it's not.
So if you're gonna dabble,you're not gonna make it.
(22:59):
Right, right, right.
I've seen it a million times.
The ones that are like, oh, I'lljust do one and I'll think about
it.
You know, it you're notbusiness, you have to put it all
in your heart and soul, yourmoney, your energy, the
marketing, you have to have itall going on in order to make a
brand.
It's just what it is.
So we do have a handful ofpeople that are like fully going
(23:22):
for it.
And I feel like when they'regoing for it, like our energy
like matches it.
So it's been really fun workingwith these super passionate
brands lately.
I'm so excited for them, and Ireally hope a few of them take
off.
SPEAKER_00 (23:37):
Yeah, and it's funny because you know, I talk to so
many designers like you, and thefunny thing is that I would say,
if not all, like they were doingsomething before, right?
If someone was a designer rightout of design school, I think
they'd be less likely to findyou or me, right?
(24:00):
Because their approach would bevery different.
They perhaps wouldn't even knowto find a you or me because
they'd be like in a tunnel lane,like this is how it needs to be
done because I was just taught.
But the designers we deal with,like they had day jobs, they had
something, they had this itchthat had to be scratched.
And I had this and it wasbothering me, and I really and I
(24:21):
couldn't ignore it anymore.
And the funny thing is that mostof these people were really
methodical, were reallyorganized.
Some of them were really pennypinching, no more penny, but
like were really budgeted.
And then they got this idea todo a handbag, and then all that
was out the window.
Like, I'm spending 20,000 on asample.
(24:42):
I'm making bespoke lining inItaly.
I found a hardware person inMadagascar who's making like,
and you're like, what the?
I thought you told me I'm reallybudgeted, I'm really wrist.
And now you're telling me you'vedropped just dropped like$15,000
on something that's gonna gonowhere because you didn't do
the same homework, research,like customer, competitive
(25:05):
analysis, who would you sitwith?
Like all these basic things thatyou and I'd be like, okay,
what's your targeted pricepoint?
Who is your targeted customer?
Where would you like to sell it?
And who, what's your DNA?
You know what I'm saying?
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Bible, founded the handbagboards, and created the only
(26:11):
handbag designer podcast.
I'm going to show you like Ihave countless brands to create
in this in-depth course, fromsketch to sample to sale.
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start up again, or if you've hada brand and need some strategic
direction, the handbag designer101 Masterclass is just for you.
So let's get started, and you'llbe the creator of the next it
(26:33):
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today.
SPEAKER_01 (26:55):
Yeah, I mean, people spend a lot elsewhere sometimes
before they find me, also.
Like I had a client recentlymanufacture in three factories
before they found us, and peoplewaste so much money.
So much.
I mean, there is some of it thatis just like inevitable.
(27:17):
Like there is there areexperiences where you're gonna
have a bad manufacturer or a badthis, and but I just think that
the faster you move on from abad experience or from a
mistake, the better.
Like, don't keep going justbecause you spent a lot of time
making that mistake.
Also, like certain materials,like I've seen people spent like
(27:39):
$15 a square foot on leatherthat they didn't understand that
you can get leather for$4.
That looks beautiful.
So don't kill yourself about itthat you spent all this money to
begin with.
You know, once you realizesomething, just cut your long,
move on, or even realizing likefrom materials, right?
SPEAKER_00 (28:02):
Like you get a lot more out of working with cow
because it's a bigger skin.
But then you're like, I want,then they try to build a very
structured bag out of lamb skin,which is smaller and it's very
soft.
It's a much more, it's got agreat it to me, it's got a
better hand feel, but you'renever gonna get a really great
(28:22):
structured bag out of lambunless it's hyperlined, you
know?
SPEAKER_01 (28:26):
You know, and we did a collaboration, we're we're
working on our project, and Ichose lamb for our project.
I love lamb because of the hamfeel is just so buttery, but our
size of our product worksbecause small and it works, and
also because I, you know, youknow uh I'm the boss, I can kind
(28:50):
of get away with the extra costsof the filler and everything.
But generally, if you're goingany bigger than that, there's no
more lambskin.
That forget it.
It's cow only.
I mean, we're we we need to makemoney at the end of the day, but
yeah, there's certain thingsthat I would say to invest in.
So recently we partnered up witha like um, they really do like
(29:14):
branding and it's a creativestudio, and they have 3D
printing machines and they have3D art art modelers.
So I've had a couple of clientsrecently develop really unique
hardware metal concepts with us,and this has been something new
for us that basic logos, zipperpulls, locks, things like that
(29:36):
we do in our sleep, but likewater bottles, really crazy
shapes of things, like 3D withmulti part things.
Like, we're not that's not ouryou know, it's not what we're
used to.
So we partnered with this shopand they've been doing 3D art
for us, which we then 3D printand then show it to our clients.
(29:58):
And once that's approved, thenWe found bigger manufacturers
for like larger metal scaleobjects.
And we've been doing itrecently.
And honestly, this has been likenext level for some of these
brands.
Like until this brand launches,I can't describe some of the
pieces, but just taking it tothe next level with the 3D
printing and modeling and thenmanufacturing is just it's very
(30:22):
um brand identifying.
So I think that was worth it.
The art is, you know, it'sexpensive.
It's a it's a 3D artist, butthat was worth it because now
when we're producing the piece,it's just as inexpensive as
anything else, like a logoplate, but it's special, you
know?
So that that initial investmentI would say is worth it if it's
(30:46):
something really special.
SPEAKER_00 (30:48):
That's so cool.
See, that's where technology hasits benefits with creativity.
I really believe in those kindsof things to try and offset.
Like we had one designer who wasmaking his bag out of he was 3D
printing his bag, period, fullstop, out of leather.
And I just kept saying, But howdo you do that?
(31:09):
He's like, Well, you know, youcould do that, and then with the
mold, and then you put theleather, and you know, there's
there's very unique ways to dovery cool things, but there's
still basics that you have to dobecause at the end of the day,
it's a handbag.
You want people to buy it,right?
Like that's the end goal.
It's not to create works of art,it's to create product that you
(31:32):
will be able to get a customerthat will come back and buy your
product again.
unknown (31:36):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (31:37):
So the 3D printing has been really good for like
hard shell bags, like justprinting a frame.
We can put the shape into themodel, and then we could just
print a shell and we can havelike, you know, those, you know,
the Louis Vuitton building inthe city that's like all
luggage.
So those style products we cando with like 3D printed shells,
(31:59):
which I used to have to moldoverseas, and they were very
expensive mold.
And now we can just make like 10shells, I can print them down
the road, and we can make we canstart a hard shell collection,
which that's been really great.
But I I mean, I don't want totell everybody to do this
because it will affect mybusiness.
But another thing with the wholelike 3D futuristic things, a lot
(32:22):
of people are skipping doingduplicates, and they're just
doing you know, AI renderings ofall their products in different
colors, and it saves money, andyou could see the product in
different colors without youknow prototyping and developing
it all.
SPEAKER_00 (32:39):
So that's been really I don't I don't think
that makes you lose moneybecause I think it's a you know,
yes, perhaps people aren'tspending the money on sampling,
but I think then in in you'reable to hold on to the designer
as a customer longer becausethey actually have real sales
against product as opposed tothem draining their budget doing
(33:03):
samples on batch.
SPEAKER_01 (33:04):
It's good for them for not for them for pre-orders,
like they can pre-order off ofan AI rendered image, get the
money they need for production,and then spend it on production.
Some challenges that I've hadwith this whole AI thing is
people come to me now with afull AI image of their product,
like fully finished AI and itnever was developed before, but
(33:28):
it looks real and it'scomplicated and real.
And I'm like, I've already donemany of these, and to get a real
product to look just like the AIimage is almost impossible.
SPEAKER_00 (33:41):
Okay, well, because it's so detailed, it'll cost
much more money.
SPEAKER_01 (33:46):
People have been looking at this image of their
dream item for so long that Ihave to create exactly that what
that was that they've beenlooking at for so long, and it's
never exact, so they're alwaysdisappointed.
So I've seen this happen acouple of times already.
So now when I see an AI image astheir first interaction with me,
(34:06):
I'm looking to make this, and Iright away have the conversation
with them.
AI images is not a real lifeproduct.
AI image is an AI image.
A lot of times they're not evenconstructed with real
construction, it's just a lineor like uh, and I'm like, this
is not real, that we're gonnaactually have to develop this
product, and it might not lookexactly like this.
(34:28):
It might not even be possible tomake this, you know, don't get
your hopes up.
So we have that conversationfirst before we move forward.
SPEAKER_00 (34:36):
And that's been really helpful.
It's kind of like saying, it'slike saying, you know, see this
AI image, she has six fingers.
Now, if she has six fingers, Ican't make a bag that looks like
this because this is asix-fingered bag.
Like this is, you know, likethis is not that.
SPEAKER_01 (34:54):
So I think I was making a a bag that was in the
shape of like a bow, and the bowwas just so beautiful in the AI
image.
And I mean, I gave it to likefour different makers, and no
one could even come close tothis bow.
And I had to break it to themthat this is not real, like we
could 3D print it, maybe, andyou could have just like a
(35:15):
plastic version of this, but itcan't be constructed out of
leather or fabric.
So we had to do a lot of changesto get that even like close to
the concept.
But there was another one thatit was like a piece of candy,
and that's been a whole host ofchallenges to make that one
real.
SPEAKER_00 (35:32):
Oh, the the bag, the bag's shaped like candy.
Yep, yep, yep, yep.
SPEAKER_01 (35:37):
I I know those well.
So to make those kinds of thingslook real and like their image
is just it's hard, but yeah,yeah, no, it's new, it's
something different.
SPEAKER_00 (35:49):
Oh my gosh, Nicole, we're like, I'm always gonna
have you back.
I'm always gonna have you backjust because I love these
conversations.
I mean, again, selfishly, I wasable to start a podcast so I
could talk to people that I'malready talking to and have the
exact same conversation, and nowI could record it.
So, and I get I get to havepeople being a fly on the wall
(36:11):
on our conversation becausethere's so much good nuggets in
this.
Like, this is good, this isinteresting, this is helpful.
And I think, and I'm so gratefulfor our friendship and our
relationship because I reallythink, you know, we're doing
God's work here.
We're helping people be the bestversion of themselves to start a
(36:34):
handbag brand, to continue ahandbag brand, to grow a handbag
brand.
Because there's so much aboutthis, especially within
handbags, that is not like anyother classification.
It's not like running any otherbusiness.
The good thing about handbags,like it's size agnostic, you
don't need to create a right anda left, you don't need to create
(36:56):
it multi-sizes unless you'rebuilding out a collection.
There's a lot of benefits ofgoing into handbags, but the
downside is like it's a crowdedmarket.
So, you know, if you and I canhelp people build something that
really has an opportunity tohave a voice, have DNA, and at
the end of the day make someonehappy that they bought that bag,
(37:19):
then we're doing what we'resupposed to.
You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_01 (37:22):
Exactly.
And you know, I a lot of peoplesay it's just a handbag or like
it's just it's superficial, it'sa handbag.
You know, what's the big deal?
Like, it's you and I is likelife's work is just a handbag.
But I have to say that, youknow, I've had many children
over the years and I've grown insize, I've shrunk in size, and
(37:45):
the accessories are what kept meconfident during those hard
times.
They always fit.
The jewelry, the handbags, theyalways fit.
I think that handbags and shoesare an investment piece.
You can wear them every day foryears and pass them on.
It's not that deep, but it does,you know, they make people
happy.
So it's quality of life.
(38:06):
Quality of life.
It makes you happy.
It's something small that adds alittle joy to your day.
So I and of course, the wholeprocess of developing something
creative, it's it's you know,the clients, it's their art.
And I get to help them maketheir art, and it's it's it's
exciting to make something thatyou've had in your mind and you
(38:26):
see it become real.
So I'm proud of what we do.
And if you look around at someof the biggest names, Chanel and
Louis Vuitton and Celine, youknow, a small bag is$4,000 and
up, you know, and people arepaying it left and right.
They are mes bags or$50,000 andup.
(38:47):
I mean, there's a reason.
There's a reason.
And those brands, I feel like,help our clients.
Because even though they have noname, there's an association
that handbags go at this pricepoint, and they can help them.
I think that this is what hashelped, you know, made in USA
stay around for so long, ourfactories stay around for so
(39:09):
long, is the fact that a newbrand has this like, I can sell
my bag for a thousand dollarsand I will be cheap compared to
the big names out there.
And it's true, like if so that Ifeel like has helped clients of
UNIs like get out there in theworld and start something and be
(39:29):
able to grow.
SPEAKER_00 (39:30):
Exactly.
Exactly.
Nicole, how can we find you,follow you, and work with you at
BaCal?
SPEAKER_01 (39:39):
You can look us up online, bikal handbags.com and
bagman.com.
We have two websites.
Uh we have Baikal Hambags.
Bagwoman.
I know my father started thatone.
Baikal handbag factory is ourInstagram.
But really, you can just GoogleBaikal or Handbag Manufacturer
(40:00):
in New York City, and we'rewe're the top one on Google.
There's not there aren't many ofus left, and we're probably one
of the only ones left.
And uh, you can find us thatway.
Email us, fill out the form onthere, and someone will get back
to you.
Uh honestly, it's it's rightbefore Black Friday and
(40:21):
Christmas time right now.
So we're just like a little bitbusy.
Okay, we're very busy gettingout those orders, but so just be
a little patient with us duringthis holiday time, but someone
will get back to you within aday or two.
SPEAKER_00 (40:34):
And it's D-A-I-K-A-L.
Bye, Cal.
D-A-I-K-A-L.
Nicole, always a pleasure.
I will see you at the end.
Thank you so much, Emily.
SPEAKER_01 (40:44):
Next quarterly uh review.
Okay.
Thanks, Emily.
SPEAKER_00 (40:49):
Talk to you soon.
Thanks for listening.
Don't forget to rate and reviewand follow us on every single
platform at Handbag Designer.
Thanks so much.
See you next time.
So I feel like there's an opportunity for my
clients in particular because weare so obsessed with the
material and the handmade feelhere that I think that our
product stands out among thelike made in China, made in
Cambodia, and hundreds andhundreds of units without any
(00:20):
like love and care.
You could feel it.
So the few brands that we'redoing now, we're we're actually
launching, I think, six brandsin the next three months.
Not us, but we're we finisheddeveloping over the last year
and a half, and they're gonna belaunching over the next two,
three months, six, six brands.
And it just makes me happy thatI know that some of these
(00:44):
leathers are from like the toptanneries in Italy and Germany,
and the hardware, some of it'sfrom like the top hardware
factories in Italy.
And I know that they were madein like small batches by hand
crafted here, and you could seeit.
You could see it by looking atit.
They look different.
SPEAKER_00 (01:02):
Hi, and welcome to Handbag Designer 101 the podcast
with your host, EmilyBlumenthal, handbag industry
expert, and the handbag PerryGodmother.
Each week we uncover the storiesbehind the handbags we love from
the iconic brands and topdesigners, the creativity,
craftsmanship, and culture thatdefine the handbag world.
Whether you're a designer,collector, or simply passionate
(01:23):
about handbags, this is yourfront row seat to it all.
Welcome, Nicole Levy of BaikalHandbag Manufacturing.
Welcome back.
I said you're my residenthandbag factory manufacturing
(01:44):
person.
So as the expert of all thingshandbags, manufacturing, and
factories, welcome.
SPEAKER_01 (01:51):
Thank you so much for having me back, Emily.
Great to be here.
SPEAKER_00 (01:55):
Good, good.
Oh, see, you're a natural.
I told you.
Great to be back.
Good.
So there were a couple things.
Like we had a whole laundry listof things we wanted to cover
just because you know thequestions that designers come in
and ask.
You know what's going on withthe factories.
There's a tariff situation thatseems to still be going on.
Let's just get down to thebasics.
(02:17):
Like, what is the state of theunion of how handbags are
working?
Like, what are you seeing trendsare with designers coming in and
then you saying, like, hold on,don't do that.
This will sell more.
SPEAKER_01 (02:29):
Go.
So, what's going on right now?
I mean, the tariff situation ishuge.
People are scared.
People don't know what's goingon.
I mean, sometimes the tariff isover 100%, sometimes it's not.
So that's been big.
We've been getting a lot ofphone calls from people who
manufacture overseas to see ifthere's a possibility if they
(02:51):
can manufacture in the USA.
So that's been exciting.
There's been a lot of interestin made in USA lately.
In terms of the people thatwe're working with now, I am
seeing a lot of Western luxury.
So we have a few Texan brandswho are launching soon that
we're working with.
It's kind of like a Ralph Laurenelevated, a little bit more
(03:12):
edge, and we're really lovingit.
There's a few governmentprojects we're actually working
on that want made-in-USA onlymanufacturing.
So a military project, aninvasive species project.
That's been really interestinglately.
What's invasive species?
Like what?
So, like the alligators inFlorida that are invasive.
(03:35):
There's also lizard that'sinvasive.
So there's a company we'reworking with that's doing
incredible treatments on theseskins, and they're using them
for government projects, whichis really interesting, really
beautiful things.
SPEAKER_00 (03:49):
That's so cool.
Can I ask you?
Because I know we're gonnabopity bop and go back and forth
a lot.
Like when designers come in,right, and they have these
hopes, wishes, and dreams, howmany bags do you tell them to
start with?
Like, what do you say?
Like, okay, hi Nicole.
I have been dreaming of becominga handbag designer.
(04:10):
I have this great idea becausethat's what everybody says.
And it's something I've neverseen before because that's what
they all say.
What do you ask them?
Like, what's the order ofoperations?
Like, what do we do?
SPEAKER_01 (04:21):
So I get some people coming in here with like one
piece at a time.
And then I had a client theother day who came in with a
15-piece collection.
And I would say both of thoseare extremes.
I usually say start with threeor four.
Development is not cheap, ittakes time.
So you really want to launchsoon.
If you have too many styles, youcan't launch quickly.
(04:42):
There's just too muchdevelopment time that's wasted.
So I would say three or four isa good start.
SPEAKER_00 (04:49):
Now, when you're saying three or four, is it
three or four like a miniregular size and an oversized
all of the same silhouette?
Or are you like, okay, you needa tote.
You have to have a tote, youhave to have a crossbody.
Like, are there things that yousay to them like, this is not
that?
Like, what do you say?
Like in terms of, or do you say,okay, if that's what you want to
(05:11):
do, like in terms of direction,what do you, what do you like to
buy them to saying, like forwhat will be sellable?
SPEAKER_01 (05:18):
So if it's a regular handbag brand, I mean we we do
some unique brands as well, butif it's just a regular handbag
brand, I really drive that youshould have like a signature
look to start.
So not necessarily make onesmall, one big, but kind of
cross over something that'ssignature to your brand over
(05:39):
just a few pieces.
So it could be three big pieces,it could be two big pieces, two
small pieces, but there shouldbe a cohesive design direction,
vision, something signature toyour brand.
SPEAKER_00 (05:51):
So are there silhouettes that you say, like
right now in terms of trending?
What do you think right now isthe bag that the silhouette that
you're like, I am so surprisedit's made a comeback?
Like I'm still shocked about theclutch.
SPEAKER_01 (06:06):
Like this is my new the hobo is back.
I I don't know.
I have so many clients makinghobos again.
I didn't think that would comeback for a long time.
The slouchy boho hobo, yeah.
Really?
Oversized?
Regular size, just medium size.
I mean, I was thinking peopleare staying more structured, the
satchels, small and large uhstructured totes, but they're
(06:29):
doing boho, especially in Texas.
SPEAKER_00 (06:32):
Wow.
So, you know, there's aconnection between the
silhouette shape and what'sgoing on in the market.
So, you know, the perception isthat if the bags are structured,
people are really holding on totheir purse strings.
People want to keep thingstogether, they want to make sure
everything's organized.
(06:53):
Once that boho hobo comes back,people are like, whatever, I
don't care.
Let's throw it in, balls to thewall.
Like, it doesn't matter.
Let's see what's gonna stick.
So I think that's a veryinteresting state of the union
that hobos are back, that peoplealso seem to be trending with
(07:14):
that, right?
Because there's no structurewith that.
You put something in a hobo, youcan't find it.
Like it's gone, it's an abyss.
SPEAKER_01 (07:20):
Listen, I'm surprised too, but I'm producing
hundreds of hobos right now.
But there are always the clientswho are doing the opposite.
So we just had a brand that wedeveloped a whole structured,
large-size tote collection forlike the modern working New York
woman, I would say, or CityGirl.
(07:42):
So those are really beautifuland like the total opposite.
So I can't really say there'sone thing or another going on
here.
We have a little bit of extremejust because our clients are
from all over and everyone hastheir own tastes.
But I mean, I like both.
SPEAKER_00 (07:58):
Right, right, right, right.
And do you think, in terms ofpalette, that we're still
looking at neutrals?
Like, is it still neutral forthe when?
SPEAKER_01 (08:09):
I mean, my Texan brands are doing like dark
browns and cognac and tobaccoand olive, all neutrals.
There's almost no color in thosebrands.
But like if you were to pick upthe colour, I mean spring is
spring is coming.
I just had to source liketextured exotics in all
different spring colors for aclient because they want to
(08:30):
launch spring in in uh February.
SPEAKER_00 (08:33):
Right, right, right, right.
If you were to pick a colorthough that you see, like a
color color that you see thatpeople that's resonated with
green, military green is thecolor.
SPEAKER_01 (08:43):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (08:44):
So that's the pop of color now, military green.
SPEAKER_01 (08:47):
Military green is the color.
SPEAKER_00 (08:49):
That is a very interesting juxtaposition
between an unstructured bag anda military green.
It's like on the one hand,you're not paying attention
because there's no structure,but on the other hand, you want
to kind of fade into the backbecause color all has
representation of something,right?
Mm-hmm.
That's so weird.
(09:11):
Are you seeing these thingshappening before they are?
Like, are you like, okay, I cansee what's coming based on the
requests?
SPEAKER_01 (09:18):
Honestly, people are just trying things.
I think that the olive greencomes from just like fashion
trend for the season.
Um, it's in a lot of like highfashion designer clothing and
things like that.
And people are pulling from, youknow, the runway looks and
they're kind of like throwing itin.
Since we can do things prettyquickly here, you know, the fast
(09:39):
turnaround, they're justthrowing an olive run of 30
pieces of this style becauseit's hot right now.
So I'm like, okay.
SPEAKER_00 (09:47):
So if I was working with you, at what point would
you say, okay, let's startlooking into overseas
production?
Like, how many units do youthink one needs to sell before
they start thinking of doing itoverseas?
SPEAKER_01 (10:02):
I don't really see an exact time frame.
Some clients need to go overseaslike from the beginning.
Like some people's price pointis just so far from what the USA
price point is that I tell them,listen, if you want to work with
me, your only option is to makesamples here.
And then we do the first run inoverseas, and you have to just
do the quantity that theyrequire.
(10:24):
But other brands I, you know,that have a slightly higher
price point, I would say evenafter one or two production
runs, they could start overseas.
I'm doing like 150-pieceminimums overseas.
So it's not that intimidating.
Usually they'll do three or fourcolors within that minimum.
So I would say to clients thatwork with me, I say keep your
(10:46):
most popular colors we can dooverseas.
And then the more the moreunique colors we can do locally
in smaller batches and faster.
But I always say this we shoulddo both the US and the overseas
at the same time.
Because when you we place anorder overseas, it's kind of
like place it and forget it.
Like just forget it exists forfive, six months.
It doesn't exist.
(11:06):
So if you want to keep moving inthe meantime, we still have to
do US, you know, manufacturingand the things that we could
turn around in a month, twomonths.
We still have to be doing thosethings.
And then the, you know, if youreally want to get the best
price, you have to ship IC,which adds another month to the
timeline.
So those goods will eventuallycome and they'll be an amazing
price point, but it takes time.
SPEAKER_00 (11:30):
Do you work with them in terms of what then their
wholesale price would be?
Because that's pretty tricky interms of mathematics, right?
Because you have to merge themtogether.
Because economies of scale,right?
The more you produce, the lessyour cost is.
If you are, and I and I talkabout this in class, that
(11:52):
usually taking on a new color isa risk to a brand.
So you can always see how wellthey're doing by the amount of
color they have in theircollection because they can
afford to do it.
Because it's not cheap.
Because chances are tomanufacture the color is more
expensive than the black, brown,red, nude, beige, blah, blah,
(12:13):
blah.
You're doing more quantity withthose.
So, do you help them in terms ofdetermining what their price
points are to amortize theoverseas production versus the
domestic?
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wherever you get your books.
Thanks for your support.
SPEAKER_01 (12:51):
We usually work backwards.
So when a client comes in here,one of my first questions is
what's your price target?
And some of them don't evenknow.
Some of them say a number that'sreally out there.
Like they'll be making like aluxury style bag and they'll
say, I want to retail this for$120.
And they're calling a USmanufacturer.
So sometimes I have to just stopand do a little bit of
(13:14):
education.
But most people have like someunderstanding of the market and
where they have to be.
So if they start and say, youknow, I want to be at a$300
retail price target, I usuallysay you're a little low for the
US.
So you can do overseas, or youcould start in the US and not be
profitable in the beginninguntil you're ready to move on.
(13:35):
So you're you're kind of low.
But if they have like a$500price point and up for like
bigger, more complicated bags,then I would say they can choose
between the US or the overseas.
And then we kind of, you know,once the sample is complete, I
send each client a pricing filefor that style.
So they can see if they're doingour minimum, which is 10 pieces
(13:58):
per color, this is your price,you know, 30, 50, 100, and so
on.
So they can see, you know, if Ican stay in the US and I can do
100 pieces, you know, this is myprice and that is my price.
And I also have on that samepricing file the overseas price.
So you can really quickly andeasily see what financially will
(14:18):
be the best option for you,especially if you're doing a
wholesale business.
So wholesale is verycompetitive.
I mean, there's the departmentstores want this high margin.
And when you add the labor, thematerials, all the marketing you
put in, your time plus yourmargin, it's it's just it's very
small window that you have leftwhen wholesale.
(14:40):
So sometimes people are justeating it just so that they can
be on the shelves at thisdepartment store.
They'll just do wholesale andjust not make profit there.
Or they're doing a wholesalebusiness as their strategy.
And then we have to get thevolume up.
We have to do things overseas inbigger quantities, we have to
cut the cost of the materials asmuch as possible.
(15:02):
So there is an option for each,but it really depends on the
client strategy.
SPEAKER_00 (15:08):
That's so interesting because you said
about wholesale.
And you and I talk about this alot, that a lot of these smaller
brands tend to neglectboutiques.
And boutique business is so muchmore effective, profitable,
marketing driven than goingstraight into department stores
(15:31):
because most department storesnow it's either drop ship, they
won't buy inventory, you'restuck holding on to the product,
and then you become like athird-party essential
third-party sales per the salesbrand for them.
Boutiques, you may get them toplace an order.
The order might not be big, butyou'll get your money, right?
(15:53):
You can develop relationships,the product will sell, you could
do events, like they want you tobe successful as a result of
them making that investment inyou.
So I again I wouldn't havecreated this partnership with
New York now to create thissection called it bags,
specifically because there is noreal opportunity for independent
(16:16):
designers to sell their productat wholesale to get into
boutiques.
Because as a smaller brand, weall know how the most of these
brands work because you dealwith them.
They're usually alone.
It's very isolating.
They really don't have anybodyto discuss this with.
They're making all thesedecisions by themselves or with
you, Nicole, because you'reprobably the only person they
(16:37):
have to run these ideas by, youknow, pricing, concept, brand,
trend.
And it's lonely.
And people right now are soswept up in D2C, like having a
strong, strong following onInstagram, selling direct to
consumer.
And that's awesome because youget to keep the margin, you get
to keep the markup, but it's notrealistic to think that you're
(16:59):
going to be able to reach asmany people if you don't have
local boutiques on the groundselling your product.
I mean, that's the that's thesuccess story, ironically, of
Claire V, Claire Vivier wassolely through boutiques.
So I think a lot of people tendto forget that because they get
swept up into I need to be asuperstar on Instagram or on
(17:20):
social, and I need to make surethat I'm in a huge department
store so I could have that flexof saying, like, I'm in
Nordstrom or something.
But so I just spoke to adesigner before who is
international and she wastalking about getting into print
ump.
And I'm like, you're not ready.
You don't want to be in there.
You know, you're gonna get lost,especially when your price point
(17:43):
is higher than some of the majorbrands there who can afford to
sell the product like under 500US.
So it's a tricky dance.
SPEAKER_01 (17:53):
So the thing about me is that I'm not only just
manufacturing their bags, I'malso their consumer.
So I am a consumer of luxurywomen's bags.
It's a passion of mine.
So I personally cannot buy a bagor product on someone's website
if I haven't touched and felt ortried on their quality.
This goes for bags and this goesfor clothing.
(18:15):
So I think the boutiques are soimportant because when you touch
and feel something from a brandeven once, and you understand
what that quality is, even lateron when they have other styles
in the future, years from now,you'll remember that you touched
and felt that product then andtheir quality was good and you
associate it with their brand.
(18:36):
So the boutiques are extremelyimportant.
You know, when I walk through,like I come into Penn Station
and I walk like five blocks tothe office.
But when it's raining or it'scold, I walk through Macy's.
Macy's and you know, 34thStreet.
So I don't know if you've beenthere, but they move the whole
handbag section to the center,front and center.
(18:57):
When you walk into Macy's from7th Avenue, it's all the handbag
section is there now.
I guess it's good for theirtraffic.
So when I walked in there, I waspretty surprised that I didn't
even know some of the brandsthat were being shown there.
And I noticed that almost all ofit was made in Asia.
Like in Macy's, it's not thehighest price point, but trendy,
(19:22):
but the whole section was thesebrands that I kind of never
heard of.
I mean, there was a Minkoffmixed in there, Hammett was
mixed in there, but there wereother ones that I never heard
of.
And honestly, they got lost.
There was a coach there,there's, you know, Michael Kors
and those little brands werelost there.
But if you were, let's say, in aboutique sitting next to like
(19:43):
curated brands and curatedproduct that the boutique owner
handpicked themselves at a show,it's kind of like niche, and
you, you know, you're more drawnto it and you don't get as lost.
So I do like what you're doingwith the whole it bag at the New
York Gift show.
I think it's great that thatstores come and pick up these
(20:05):
new designers, and you know,people can touch and feel in all
different cities.
SPEAKER_00 (20:10):
Because people always remember that experience.
Like I was in this boutique, andthis is where I discovered this
brand.
This is where I discovered thisbag.
And that's exactly what yousaid.
There's an emotional connectionto discovering something that
you've never seen before.
And it's like, oh my God, whatis this?
It's so beautiful.
It speaks to me because youknow, it's an oversaturated,
(20:31):
choked market handbags.
Like you and I both know that.
Nobody is splitting the atomwhen it comes to a handbag,
right?
Like everything's been done.
So the whole essence of tryingto be a new brand, a designer,
it's really coming down to whatis your take on an existing
silhouette?
And much like you said, what'syour DNA and putting your spin
(20:55):
on it to make it yours?
Now, whether it was inspired bysomebody else, it really comes
down to putting your own stampon it to ensure that like it's
you and not anybody else.
SPEAKER_01 (21:08):
So there's something I did notice when I was at the
department store recently isthat some of the bigger
companies I notice have beenlike a little bit cheapening out
on their materials, on theirmanufacturing.
Like you just feel it when youlook at their product.
Like when they began, it waskind of like a little more
elevated, and now it seems likethey're maybe bought by
(21:31):
investors.
You know, they're cut, cut, cut.
Like the styles are so simple,the material is just terrible.
So I feel like there's anopportunity for my clients in
particular because we are soobsessed with the material and
the handmade feel here that Ithink that our product stands
(21:52):
out among the like made inChina, made in Cambodia, and
hundreds and hundreds of unitswithout any like love and care.
You could feel it.
So the few brands that we'redoing now, we're we're actually
launching, I think, six brandsin the next three months.
Not us, but we're we finisheddeveloping over the last year
(22:13):
and a half, and they're gonna belaunching over the next two,
three months, six, six brands.
And it just makes me happy thatI know that some of these
leathers are from like the toptanneries in Italy and Germany,
and the hardware, some of it'sfrom like the top hardware
factories in Italy, and I knowthat they were made in like
small batches by hand, craftedhere, and you could see it, you
(22:37):
could see it by looking at it.
They look different, they feeldifferent, they feel elevated.
So I'm really excited aboutthese.
And I'm really excited thatrecently that we have a bunch of
clients that are really goingfor it.
So I always say, like, this isnot the business to dabble in.
It's just, it's not.
So if you're gonna dabble,you're not gonna make it.
(22:59):
Right, right, right.
I've seen it a million times.
The ones that are like, oh, I'lljust do one and I'll think about
it.
You know, it you're notbusiness, you have to put it all
in your heart and soul, yourmoney, your energy, the
marketing, you have to have itall going on in order to make a
brand.
It's just what it is.
So we do have a handful ofpeople that are like fully going
(23:22):
for it.
And I feel like when they'regoing for it, like our energy
like matches it.
So it's been really fun workingwith these super passionate
brands lately.
I'm so excited for them, and Ireally hope a few of them take
off.
SPEAKER_00 (23:37):
Yeah, and it's funny because you know, I talk to so
many designers like you, and thefunny thing is that I would say,
if not all, like they were doingsomething before, right?
If someone was a designer rightout of design school, I think
they'd be less likely to findyou or me, right?
(24:00):
Because their approach would bevery different.
They perhaps wouldn't even knowto find a you or me because
they'd be like in a tunnel lane,like this is how it needs to be
done because I was just taught.
But the designers we deal with,like they had day jobs, they had
something, they had this itchthat had to be scratched.
And I had this and it wasbothering me, and I really and I
(24:21):
couldn't ignore it anymore.
And the funny thing is that mostof these people were really
methodical, were reallyorganized.
Some of them were really pennypinching, no more penny, but
like were really budgeted.
And then they got this idea todo a handbag, and then all that
was out the window.
Like, I'm spending 20,000 on asample.
(24:42):
I'm making bespoke lining inItaly.
I found a hardware person inMadagascar who's making like,
and you're like, what the?
I thought you told me I'm reallybudgeted, I'm really wrist.
And now you're telling me you'vedropped just dropped like$15,000
on something that's gonna gonowhere because you didn't do
the same homework, research,like customer, competitive
(25:05):
analysis, who would you sitwith?
Like all these basic things thatyou and I'd be like, okay,
what's your targeted pricepoint?
Who is your targeted customer?
Where would you like to sell it?
And who, what's your DNA?
You know what I'm saying?
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SPEAKER_01 (26:55):
Yeah, I mean, people spend a lot elsewhere sometimes
before they find me, also.
Like I had a client recentlymanufacture in three factories
before they found us, and peoplewaste so much money.
So much.
I mean, there is some of it thatis just like inevitable.
(27:17):
Like there is there areexperiences where you're gonna
have a bad manufacturer or a badthis, and but I just think that
the faster you move on from abad experience or from a
mistake, the better.
Like, don't keep going justbecause you spent a lot of time
making that mistake.
Also, like certain materials,like I've seen people spent like
(27:39):
$15 a square foot on leatherthat they didn't understand that
you can get leather for$4.
That looks beautiful.
So don't kill yourself about itthat you spent all this money to
begin with.
You know, once you realizesomething, just cut your long,
move on, or even realizing likefrom materials, right?
SPEAKER_00 (28:02):
Like you get a lot more out of working with cow
because it's a bigger skin.
But then you're like, I want,then they try to build a very
structured bag out of lamb skin,which is smaller and it's very
soft.
It's a much more, it's got agreat it to me, it's got a
better hand feel, but you'renever gonna get a really great
(28:22):
structured bag out of lambunless it's hyperlined, you
know?
SPEAKER_01 (28:26):
You know, and we did a collaboration, we're we're
working on our project, and Ichose lamb for our project.
I love lamb because of the hamfeel is just so buttery, but our
size of our product worksbecause small and it works, and
also because I, you know, youknow uh I'm the boss, I can kind
(28:50):
of get away with the extra costsof the filler and everything.
But generally, if you're goingany bigger than that, there's no
more lambskin.
That forget it.
It's cow only.
I mean, we're we we need to makemoney at the end of the day, but
yeah, there's certain thingsthat I would say to invest in.
So recently we partnered up witha like um, they really do like
(29:14):
branding and it's a creativestudio, and they have 3D
printing machines and they have3D art art modelers.
So I've had a couple of clientsrecently develop really unique
hardware metal concepts with us,and this has been something new
for us that basic logos, zipperpulls, locks, things like that
(29:36):
we do in our sleep, but likewater bottles, really crazy
shapes of things, like 3D withmulti part things.
Like, we're not that's not ouryou know, it's not what we're
used to.
So we partnered with this shopand they've been doing 3D art
for us, which we then 3D printand then show it to our clients.
(29:58):
And once that's approved, thenWe found bigger manufacturers
for like larger metal scaleobjects.
And we've been doing itrecently.
And honestly, this has been likenext level for some of these
brands.
Like until this brand launches,I can't describe some of the
pieces, but just taking it tothe next level with the 3D
printing and modeling and thenmanufacturing is just it's very
(30:22):
um brand identifying.
So I think that was worth it.
The art is, you know, it'sexpensive.
It's a it's a 3D artist, butthat was worth it because now
when we're producing the piece,it's just as inexpensive as
anything else, like a logoplate, but it's special, you
know?
So that that initial investmentI would say is worth it if it's
(30:46):
something really special.
SPEAKER_00 (30:48):
That's so cool.
See, that's where technology hasits benefits with creativity.
I really believe in those kindsof things to try and offset.
Like we had one designer who wasmaking his bag out of he was 3D
printing his bag, period, fullstop, out of leather.
And I just kept saying, But howdo you do that?
(31:09):
He's like, Well, you know, youcould do that, and then with the
mold, and then you put theleather, and you know, there's
there's very unique ways to dovery cool things, but there's
still basics that you have to dobecause at the end of the day,
it's a handbag.
You want people to buy it,right?
Like that's the end goal.
It's not to create works of art,it's to create product that you
(31:32):
will be able to get a customerthat will come back and buy your
product again.
unknown (31:36):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (31:37):
So the 3D printing has been really good for like
hard shell bags, like justprinting a frame.
We can put the shape into themodel, and then we could just
print a shell and we can havelike, you know, those, you know,
the Louis Vuitton building inthe city that's like all
luggage.
So those style products we cando with like 3D printed shells,
(31:59):
which I used to have to moldoverseas, and they were very
expensive mold.
And now we can just make like 10shells, I can print them down
the road, and we can make we canstart a hard shell collection,
which that's been really great.
But I I mean, I don't want totell everybody to do this
because it will affect mybusiness.
But another thing with the wholelike 3D futuristic things, a lot
(32:22):
of people are skipping doingduplicates, and they're just
doing you know, AI renderings ofall their products in different
colors, and it saves money, andyou could see the product in
different colors without youknow prototyping and developing
it all.
SPEAKER_00 (32:39):
So that's been really I don't I don't think
that makes you lose moneybecause I think it's a you know,
yes, perhaps people aren'tspending the money on sampling,
but I think then in in you'reable to hold on to the designer
as a customer longer becausethey actually have real sales
against product as opposed tothem draining their budget doing
(33:03):
samples on batch.
SPEAKER_01 (33:04):
It's good for them for not for them for pre-orders,
like they can pre-order off ofan AI rendered image, get the
money they need for production,and then spend it on production.
Some challenges that I've hadwith this whole AI thing is
people come to me now with afull AI image of their product,
like fully finished AI and itnever was developed before, but
(33:28):
it looks real and it'scomplicated and real.
And I'm like, I've already donemany of these, and to get a real
product to look just like the AIimage is almost impossible.
SPEAKER_00 (33:41):
Okay, well, because it's so detailed, it'll cost
much more money.
SPEAKER_01 (33:46):
People have been looking at this image of their
dream item for so long that Ihave to create exactly that what
that was that they've beenlooking at for so long, and it's
never exact, so they're alwaysdisappointed.
So I've seen this happen acouple of times already.
So now when I see an AI image astheir first interaction with me,
(34:06):
I'm looking to make this, and Iright away have the conversation
with them.
AI images is not a real lifeproduct.
AI image is an AI image.
A lot of times they're not evenconstructed with real
construction, it's just a lineor like uh, and I'm like, this
is not real, that we're gonnaactually have to develop this
product, and it might not lookexactly like this.
(34:28):
It might not even be possible tomake this, you know, don't get
your hopes up.
So we have that conversationfirst before we move forward.
SPEAKER_00 (34:36):
And that's been really helpful.
It's kind of like saying, it'slike saying, you know, see this
AI image, she has six fingers.
Now, if she has six fingers, Ican't make a bag that looks like
this because this is asix-fingered bag.
Like this is, you know, likethis is not that.
SPEAKER_01 (34:54):
So I think I was making a a bag that was in the
shape of like a bow, and the bowwas just so beautiful in the AI
image.
And I mean, I gave it to likefour different makers, and no
one could even come close tothis bow.
And I had to break it to themthat this is not real, like we
could 3D print it, maybe, andyou could have just like a
(35:15):
plastic version of this, but itcan't be constructed out of
leather or fabric.
So we had to do a lot of changesto get that even like close to
the concept.
But there was another one thatit was like a piece of candy,
and that's been a whole host ofchallenges to make that one
real.
SPEAKER_00 (35:32):
Oh, the the bag, the bag's shaped like candy.
Yep, yep, yep, yep.
SPEAKER_01 (35:37):
I I know those well.
So to make those kinds of thingslook real and like their image
is just it's hard, but yeah,yeah, no, it's new, it's
something different.
SPEAKER_00 (35:49):
Oh my gosh, Nicole, we're like, I'm always gonna
have you back.
I'm always gonna have you backjust because I love these
conversations.
I mean, again, selfishly, I wasable to start a podcast so I
could talk to people that I'malready talking to and have the
exact same conversation, and nowI could record it.
So, and I get I get to havepeople being a fly on the wall
(36:11):
on our conversation becausethere's so much good nuggets in
this.
Like, this is good, this isinteresting, this is helpful.
And I think, and I'm so gratefulfor our friendship and our
relationship because I reallythink, you know, we're doing
God's work here.
We're helping people be the bestversion of themselves to start a
(36:34):
handbag brand, to continue ahandbag brand, to grow a handbag
brand.
Because there's so much aboutthis, especially within
handbags, that is not like anyother classification.
It's not like running any otherbusiness.
The good thing about handbags,like it's size agnostic, you
don't need to create a right anda left, you don't need to create
(36:56):
it multi-sizes unless you'rebuilding out a collection.
There's a lot of benefits ofgoing into handbags, but the
downside is like it's a crowdedmarket.
So, you know, if you and I canhelp people build something that
really has an opportunity tohave a voice, have DNA, and at
the end of the day make someonehappy that they bought that bag,
(37:19):
then we're doing what we'resupposed to.
You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_01 (37:22):
Exactly.
And you know, I a lot of peoplesay it's just a handbag or like
it's just it's superficial, it'sa handbag.
You know, what's the big deal?
Like, it's you and I is likelife's work is just a handbag.
But I have to say that, youknow, I've had many children
over the years and I've grown insize, I've shrunk in size, and
(37:45):
the accessories are what kept meconfident during those hard
times.
They always fit.
The jewelry, the handbags, theyalways fit.
I think that handbags and shoesare an investment piece.
You can wear them every day foryears and pass them on.
It's not that deep, but it does,you know, they make people
happy.
So it's quality of life.
(38:06):
Quality of life.
It makes you happy.
It's something small that adds alittle joy to your day.
So I and of course, the wholeprocess of developing something
creative, it's it's you know,the clients, it's their art.
And I get to help them maketheir art, and it's it's it's
exciting to make something thatyou've had in your mind and you
(38:26):
see it become real.
So I'm proud of what we do.
And if you look around at someof the biggest names, Chanel and
Louis Vuitton and Celine, youknow, a small bag is$4,000 and
up, you know, and people arepaying it left and right.
They are mes bags or$50,000 andup.
(38:47):
I mean, there's a reason.
There's a reason.
And those brands, I feel like,help our clients.
Because even though they have noname, there's an association
that handbags go at this pricepoint, and they can help them.
I think that this is what hashelped, you know, made in USA
stay around for so long, ourfactories stay around for so
(39:09):
long, is the fact that a newbrand has this like, I can sell
my bag for a thousand dollarsand I will be cheap compared to
the big names out there.
And it's true, like if so that Ifeel like has helped clients of
UNIs like get out there in theworld and start something and be
(39:29):
able to grow.
SPEAKER_00 (39:30):
Exactly.
Exactly.
Nicole, how can we find you,follow you, and work with you at
BaCal?
SPEAKER_01 (39:39):
You can look us up online, bikal handbags.com and
bagman.com.
We have two websites.
Uh we have Baikal Hambags.
Bagwoman.
I know my father started thatone.
Baikal handbag factory is ourInstagram.
But really, you can just GoogleBaikal or Handbag Manufacturer
(40:00):
in New York City, and we'rewe're the top one on Google.
There's not there aren't many ofus left, and we're probably one
of the only ones left.
And uh, you can find us thatway.
Email us, fill out the form onthere, and someone will get back
to you.
Uh honestly, it's it's rightbefore Black Friday and
(40:21):
Christmas time right now.
So we're just like a little bitbusy.
Okay, we're very busy gettingout those orders, but so just be
a little patient with us duringthis holiday time, but someone
will get back to you within aday or two.
SPEAKER_00 (40:34):
And it's D-A-I-K-A-L.
Bye, Cal.
D-A-I-K-A-L.
Nicole, always a pleasure.
I will see you at the end.
Thank you so much, Emily.
SPEAKER_01 (40:44):
Next quarterly uh review.
Okay.
Thanks, Emily.
SPEAKER_00 (40:49):
Talk to you soon.
Thanks for listening.
Don't forget to rate and reviewand follow us on every single
platform at Handbag Designer.
Thanks so much.
See you next time.
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.