July 1, 2025 • 37 mins
Think launching a handbag brand is as easy as designing a pretty product? Think again. In this episode of Handbag Designer 101, we’re joined by industry expert Nancy Forman, whose decades of experience—from Bloomingdale’s to Accessory Think Tank—have made her a trusted voice in fashion strategy, manufacturing, and merchandising.
Nancy doesn’t sugarcoat it. Today’s market demands much more than a great idea—it requires a plan, a factory, and a deep understanding of your customer before you even produce your first bag. From hidden development costs to managing trade show expectations, her insights are a must-hear for any serious designer.
đź’ˇ Key Takeaways
 👜 Beyond the Sketch: Why product development starts long before design—and how skipping steps can sink your brand.
🌍 Small Runs, Big Potential: How Nancy’s Romanian factory allows brands to produce as few as 3–6 bags per style.
♻️ Smart Sustainability: Why leather vs. non-leather isn’t so black and white—and how to think critically about eco claims.
Whether you’re launching your first line or refining your supply chain, this conversation will shift your mindset and sharpen your strategy.
🎧 Listen now.
Our Guest: Nancy Forman is a veteran merchant, fashion consultant, and founder of Accessory Think Tank. She helps emerging brands build smart, scalable businesses through hands-on product development, manufacturing expertise, and retail insight.
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.Â
Youtube: / Handbagdesigner101-ihda | Instagram:/ Handbagdesigner
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It used to be easy to create a bag.
I mean, you and I both know welived it.
Take a brand, fix it up, changeit around and it can be a
million or $8 million in threeyears.
Raw consumer demands and, inthe retailer, ever more so the
consumer a real, clearunderstanding of the brand, its
values, its positioning, itsreason for being its consumer,
(00:21):
social responsibility.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Hi and welcome to Handbag Designer 101, the
podcast with your host, emilyBlumenthal, handbag industry
expert and the handbag fairygodmother.
Each week, we uncover thestories behind the handbags we
love, from the iconic brands andtop designers to the creativity
, craftsmanship and culture thatdefine the handbag world.
Whether you're a designer,collector or simply passionate
(00:45):
about handbags, this is yourfront row seat to it all.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Welcome to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast.
We have Nancy Foreman with ustoday from the Accessory Think
Tank.
Nancy, how far do we go back,how many years with the Z?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
I had heard of you and your success in the initial
Handbag Award creation.
How many years ago was that?
Oh my God, 2007.
So I met you in nine or 10,when my clients were getting to
win awards.
Yeah, I had wanted to meet you,that's so funny.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
So you were a merchant by trade.
I mean, I've had you speak atmy class, We've done talks
before but just for the sake ofthis podcast and our new
listeners, what's yourbackground?
I love hearing this because itso speaks to why you are so good
at what you do.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Thank you, emily, and really it's a thrill to be
talking with you.
I always love a lot and you'requite inspiring.
So thank you for having me Toshare as succinctly as possible.
I am a merchant.
It will always be ingrained inwho I am personally and
professionally.
I started my career withBlinney Nails and was with
Blinney Nails for 14 years inmerchandising and buying, and
(02:11):
that set the tone for myself,recognizing my great love of
products and my talent and skillin understanding the
marketplace, the competitivelandscape and merchandising.
So I am self-taught on thedesign aspects over the course
of about 17 years, yet stillalways apply my thinking as a
(02:36):
merchant and a very, very validunderstanding of the competitive
landscape, both in the aspectof how a consumer thinks, to how
a buyer thinks, to how tomaximize existing and future
opportunities.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
What do you think the biggest mistake the designers
we've worked with Like?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
what do you think some of those things going in,
Because I have a laundry list ofthose Managing expectations in
regard to how to literally startfrom point A to B to C,
understanding the challenges ofdevelopment and costs by country
, meaning I can produce in NewYork or Los Angeles and
(03:22):
essentially oversee it and do itin more real time, yet what are
those costs and how will thataffect my total cost?
Or I can go overseas andpotentially create something and
then have 1,000 or 2,000 unitsin a warehouse.
So one this initialunderstanding of expectation of
(03:44):
product development and also thereal understanding of managing
expectation of growth, as overand over again I have seen,
brands who get to the finishwhat they think the finish line
is, which is product development, end up at a trade show before
they're ready, which is a verybig investment, don't have the
(04:04):
success that they want and closetheir business.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, I mean, you and I both have seen people who
have hired experts, whateverthey are, because there are
plenty of people out there thatdo what you and I both do.
Well, I don't do what you do.
So I just want to make thatvery clear, because you're a one
of one, nancy.
Nobody does what you do as wellas you in terms of product
development, trend and so forth.
But they take someone, orsomeone takes them on and
(04:30):
promises them the sun, moon andstars, charges them an offensive
amount, and then they have, youknow, one bag for our
conversation's sake, one bag toshow for it.
And then they come to you withlike, well, I don't have much
money, but I have this one bagand I spent 20,000 developing
one bag.
Why am I not in sacks?
And it's like, oh damn, like Icould tell you a thousand
(04:53):
reasons why you're not in sacks,because there's 100,000 people
just like you.
Number one.
Number two you've blown throughyour money.
Number three productdevelopment costs money, whether
you do it on your own or you doit with someone like you, right
?
And number four understandingyour customer, designing into
that price point, understandingwhere they shop, why they shop,
(05:14):
what their needs are from,ethnographically speaking,
socioeconomically,geographically, all of that.
But to develop a product thatpeople will actually want and
need, it's a process and itrequires a lot of research and,
as far as I'm concerned, thatresearch is free.
It's free Like you can do thisresearch without spending a lot
(05:35):
of money, comparatively to howmuch you spend developing said
product Would you agree?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Yes, and also there's a way to approach research in a
very strategic way and alsorecognizing it is as a merchant.
I would say it begins and endswith products strategy.
The looking at the competitivelandscape really goes beyond
what shapes, what colors, butalso really looking at supply
(06:09):
chain transparency, consumersocial responsibility, where the
materials come from, howthey're made, who makes them
right.
So it's way more intense inregards to a comprehensive
understanding of brand strategyincrease.
So that's also how I've evolved.
I mean, when I talk aboutpowering shape all day long, the
(06:30):
reality is that a brand todayhas the opportunity to also
navigate and create through avery comprehensive strategy of
consumer social responsibilityand supply chain, material and
who's making it right.
And I say that I have created asmall batch women-owned
(06:53):
strategy to help navigate forstartups so that they don't go
out of business.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
What key points would you suggest in terms of
strategy that you've developedor templatized?
What would you start with?
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Okay, in regards to the strategy which I suggest for
any brand and I feel like thisis a method that we've put
together and it has been wellreceived and recognized is, over
and over again, a brand willcome to me and say what bags are
we making Right?
What jewelry are we making?
What decorative home are wemaking?
(07:27):
First and foremost, we stepback and we understand the
essence and soul and ethos ofthe brand, positioning, the DNA.
Yeah, it used to be easy tocreate a bag.
I mean, you and I both know welived it.
Take a brand, fix it up, changeit around and it can be a
million or $8 million in threeyears.
(07:47):
Raw consumer demands and, in theretailer, ever more so, the
consumer a real, clearunderstanding of the brand, its
values, its positioning, itsreason for being its consumer,
social responsibility and, asI've said minutes back, supply
chain transparency.
Transparency and that theproduct is made ethically right.
You know, over and over,alternative brands that move
(08:10):
away from leather.
Just because it is not leatherdoes not mean that it's a best
off environmental approach todevelopment.
The other thing I found is thatthere are many brands you say
work, sustainable.
Yeah, no, it's 100% sustainable.
Yes, and progress.
So to really communicate thatway and in creating this brand
(08:32):
ethos or blueprint, it keepsevery department on the same
page, because we are startups,we don't have the luxury of
having an organization andbuilding where we can meet each
week or every day to talk aboutwhere we're going from visual to
Instagram, to website, to logo,to font system.
(08:53):
So this deck keeps all theindependent contractors on the
same page and very often is acatalyst in opening the door to
really inspire manufacturingpartners or future partners who
want to get behind the brand.
So that's one thing.
And then also, as you asked, inregards to what are the biggest
(09:15):
mistakes, as you touched on,it's this managing expectation
and if I hire this person andpay them this much money for a
logo or a website or anInstagram strategy or social
media or a product for thatmatter, and I really think that
it is a process of a clock andall the arm movement of each of
(09:40):
the times or sections are yourpartnerships that move together
and that everybody should becommitted to the outcome of the
brands.
Yeah right, best of the brandas it launches and its
recognition, not hiring apartner or a strategist or a
(10:01):
logo designer who wants theirpage to go up and is not
involved Because a brand,especially when it launches,
there has to be a team that isproactive to the fact that maybe
the colors are off, maybe thelogo needs to be resized, maybe
the product is too expensive,maybe the Instagram is not
working.
You have to have a team that iscommitted after you launch.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Well, a couple of things.
One I call that basement toBeyonce that's my hashtag that
they get a little bit ofattention.
Or designers pay someone andautomatically the assumption is
that this person is going to bethe panacea of my brand.
Right Dollar and a dream.
I have an idea.
(10:44):
I'm a creator, I'm a designer.
Now I've employed someone who'sbasically going to convert
these thoughts, dreams, hopesand sketches and turn me into a
viable brand so I can tellpeople I am a real designer sold
at retail.
So that's one.
We both know that that'sfallacy at its best.
Number two not everybody hasthe luxury or the wherewithal to
(11:06):
find a Nancy, so you know to doall that on their own.
We want to kind of decrypt howand what that looks like.
So if I'm a handbag designerand I've created my first bag
and I paid $5,000 at a minimumfor a local manufacturer per se
domestic to create my firstsample, what do you as a
(11:27):
merchant do with that from there?
Like if someone comes to youand say that 5k is pretty
extreme.
I always say 5k because nobodygets their first bag right and
if you go to these manufacturersfor sampling, it's the lowest
hanging fruit of customer whereyou could say what do you not
like, what do you want changed,and, lo and behold, you get
(11:48):
charged again and again andagain and again.
So the sample might not be, butby the time you're done you've
dropped a minimum of 5K right.
Another point is an NDAnon-disclosure agreement.
It is always a tell for newdesigners or people who are a
little bit too green and it cancome back and bite them in terms
of being put at the bottom ofthe production list or being
(12:11):
charged that much more.
Is giving an NDA to a retailer,giving an N have to show what
you've done in order to getdiscovered, noticed,
conversation, and if you'reshowing up as a quote, unquote,
nobody with an NDA, damn.
(12:32):
I know I can like put you atthe bottom of my production list
because you don't know, or Ican charge you that much more
because you don't know.
And as a retailer or a buyer,I'm not going to even take your
call because I don't know youand I don't care.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Well, I think an NDA with a retailer is something
that I I've seen it, I have.
So I can't.
When it comes to an NDA, Ithink it's the approach there's
nothing wrong with an NDA beingsigned and it's just a reminder
for all of us and I think it'sthe approach with which the NDA
is delivered and communicated,because that's fair, frankly,
(13:07):
because my clients have NDAsigned all the time and it's
really the delivery andcommunication.
Listen, I understand your levelof expertise.
It's just an industry reminderand most often the manufacturer
who is in place is used to it.
I will say I have seen, notwithin the US but overseas
(13:29):
literally submitted something toa jewelry manufacturer and saw
it was a design I developedliterally by design.
Yeah, completely knockoff.
So it's got to be done Right,often 99%, no problem, but I
don't have an issue with it.
In regards to your question onmanufacturing, it's all about
(13:49):
budget and time and experience.
Yeah, so a brand or designerneeds to have that in-person
experience to create theirproducts and 5K is within the
budget.
So be it.
They're ordinary manufacturersin New York.
I know throughout the world bylooking in a bag about how much
(14:10):
it's going to cost in sampleproduction, moq landed.
So ultimately, also if backingup the brand or the client
designer really understands.
Before back to me taking a lookat the Rubik's Cube of strategy
.
Right, yeah, and that, again,is also what should be done
(14:33):
before a product is made.
Yeah, look at the options andthe pros and cons.
Sometimes the 5K is the rightchoice because of time.
Is money, right?
You know frustration, yeah, soyou really have to look at that
as a total to make the decision,because we develop that yeah,
(14:54):
there's so much to cover rightnow.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
But even in terms of sustainability, are you working
with brands that are stillwanting leather?
Because I work with, actuallyrecently within my handbag
designer, incubator designersthat were hell bent on keeping
leather and having customersunderstand the beauty, the joy,
the seafield touch, thattangibility factor of a leather
(15:19):
bag.
How do you approach that versus, you know, from a sustainable
element of saying no, no, no, no, no, you know, like, let's make
sure that because you can'tguarantee that the piece goods
are dead stock you can't, norshould you in some capacity or
cases.
You know, how do you integratethat into the assortment?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Well, why I believe that there's incredible beauty
in artisanal aspects and, in asense, approach to well lived
products that come from leather.
Yeah, I have such incrediblerelationships with so many
tanneries and owners oftanneries, so understanding
their positioning, how theymanufacture their tanning
(15:58):
processes, so agree completelythat there is a place for
leather and then there is aplace for alternative materials
and the reason for thosereflects the positioning and
ethos of who the brand is, whatthey stand for, yeah, where they
want to land and where theywant to make it right exactly
person.
No one answer and frankly,there is.
(16:21):
There are incredible strategiesand interpretations happening
at both weights alternativematerials and with leathers,
everybody wants to be better.
You know, obviously, if it's adesigner who is truly, truly
committed to the authenticity ofall beings, right, then they're
not going to use leather, right, and there's a place for both.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
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Speaker 3 (17:08):
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Today.
(18:12):
We're kind of jumping around interms of all this, but what do
you see in terms of productionfactories, countries that people
may not know of or think of interms of getting their bags made
?
And do you have thoughts onChina?
(18:33):
No, China.
Like I know, so many brandsright now are just using their
China factories for sampling,but not production.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
I have found and find because we produce throughout
the United States and India,different parts of India and
China, italy, romania, portugaland more that.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Every country has its own and also has their ability
for domestic production.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
I will tell you that China for such incredible
relationships and partnerships,both in production and material
development, and jewelry anddecorative home in China and
then in Europe.
So you know, it really comesdown to again where does the
brand want to be in regards toprice, quality and MLQ?
(19:20):
Right, because there is noreason to develop in China if
you're not going to producethere.
I mean, to your point, you havepeople sampling.
Well, the handwork isextraordinary, yeah, right, yet
there's a lot of writable.
The biggest hand manufacturingin the world is in Vietnam,
right, the reality is that theMOQ is what?
(19:41):
1,000, 3,000.
So we can't do that.
But you know, again, we producein Seoul, korea, all over.
And frankly, I also feel and dothis that in order to be
informed from the beginning, oneof the first things to do is
also look and say again if Iproduce it here, this is where
it's going to land in regards toMQ, price, quality and timing
(20:02):
versus here.
And it may be that I start here, right, yet when I'm producing,
I'm paying a higher price.
Yet I know that my goal is tohit this retail, so I want it to
be, so it sells.
My margins are smaller, I growmy volume, I already know where
I can go, so that if retailer Xsays Emily, we absolutely love
(20:25):
what you're doing, your pricesare too high and you don't
already know where you can go.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Right, what's MOQ?
Just to be clear.
Okay, and in terms of landedprice, now there's a variety of
pricing.
Right, there's trade on board,which is FOB.
There's landed duty paid, whichis landed LDP.
With your designers, how do youtypically do the pricing when
you're saying landed?
So how would you think aboutthat?
Speaker 1 (20:55):
What happens is internationally.
You know there's a freightforwarder that manages, so that
there's less of a surprise,right?
The thing that's been verychallenging today is shipping.
Yep, shipping costs areoutrageous, yep.
So, again, when you're sinkingthrough the $5,000 bag to be
(21:17):
made in your city, right, yep,and the shipping costs literally
, over time, equal that.
So, again, being really clearin the short and longer term on
what is going to come up, right,you make the right decision.
I would love to talk aboutwhat's happening in the market.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
No, I would.
I actually wanted to because Iwant to cover, you know, a sweet
spot of pricing where you thinkfor different markets, and then
also make sure when we wrap up,we speak about colors, trends,
silhouettes, where we thinkthings are going, because you
know, I want to make sure thatwe have you on at least once
every three months just to getthe Nancy update, because this
(21:58):
covers, I mean, right now,everything we're speaking about
is pretty timeless.
You know, to learn how tocreate a bag from sketch
inception to shelf, to repeatbusiness, to customer
acquisition, to sustainability,to strategy, like there's a
whole kind of you could drawboxes and arrows for what the
correct pathway to do it.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Well, I also feel that being an entrepreneur or a
new designer or even anestablished designer, who needs
a wake up, right, who needs awake up is in reference and I'm
really thinking about the clockor pie and you really have to
put a strategy together as anentrepreneur to where so many
hats in order to reallyunderstand.
(22:38):
So it's also almost like withina month on to ensure that you
devote time to sales strategy,right, and how do you do that
and how that leads tounderstanding the competitive
landscape and other brands andidentifying the stockists list.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
So sorry, I'm going to get me started on my sexy
SWAT, which I live for, anddoing a competitive analysis and
oh, wow, yeah, we definitelyneed to do more than one
conversation, but let's justmove over right now to pricing
and sweet spots and where youthink that's going.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Contemporary, modern luxury is really my expertise.
I know that there's mass andoff price and volume.
I know the levels in themeetings.
So I'm not going to talk aboutthose competitive $59, $69, $99,
$199 prices, because it is notmy market.
Yet it is sell to the masses,sell to the classes, sell to the
(23:35):
classes, live at the masses.
Nothing wrong with that.
I am very, very focused on theradiation and creation of
something that doesn't exist andthen try to navigate and create
that in quality and thencommunication to the consumer
and the retailer, and with thatthen the positioning is more
(23:56):
expensive on every level.
Yet the minimums that one hasto invest are controlled right.
It's not just what you make,it's what you spend Right and
what you make you can have ahealthy business.
You could be a million dollarbusiness and be profitable, and
you could be a million dollarbusiness.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
So what you said, contemporary, modern per se.
What retailer would that fallinto and what sweet spot would
you speak to?
Speaker 1 (24:21):
with that?
That would be a suffragette.
I was in London last monthsuffragettes.
I was in London last month.
It's very similar to Verdor orSaks whereby joplin is really
like next level assortment ofproduct near mass, and yet
there's a contemporary for it.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
So one of our clients what retailer in the US would
you say that would fall in?
Speaker 1 (24:47):
I'm sorry, I was thinking about the success of
one of our clients to getNordstrom.
I love Nordstrom, love, love,love, love Nordstrom and their
willingness to take a chance onnewness.
Yeah Well, anything else,although Nordstrom, I feel, has
a broader assortment of newness.
I think those two obviouslySaks, but those are more
(25:10):
challenging, right, and theytake a little bit longer.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
And then, of course, specialty stores Right and I
think, don't sleep on them.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
People feel shocked.
I actually love working withthe specialty stores Me too.
The feedback, the willingnessto take a chance, the
willingness to pay up front, andreally throughout the country,
there are tastemakers who reallyunderstand their customer,
whether it's in Iowa, oklahoma,alabama, palm Beach, naval,
(25:45):
florida, baltimore, chicago, andI continue to follow the stores
through signing up for theirmarketing emails.
Yeah, you following those keystores on Instagram.
Yeah, those key merchants onLinkedIn.
I have immense respect forthose specialty stores that have
(26:06):
been able to develop curatedappointments and really be a
tastemaker for their customers.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
So what price point would you say?
That would be A sweet spot.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Oh, it's $4.95 to $7.95.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
$7.95 would be for a full leather, or not even
necessarily full leather.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
Leather.
The thing is, we were analyzingthis the other day with the
factory, our small factory, andI'm working at a bag made in
leather and non-leather.
Right, right, actually, becausenow leather, we're really using
new alternative, best-ofmaterials that are more
(26:45):
expensive to make.
Yeah, it's less bio-basedpercents, so they're a bit
expensive a meter.
One of them is 35 dollars, wow,wow, so really almost equal to
leather.
Yet the consumer understandingthat, right, so you can take,
just have to be careful.
I think I know there is stillan exception by most consumers
(27:06):
that leather has more value.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
Yet look at Stella right, right, but I could go
back and forth on this.
Because I buy intosustainability, I understand
that I totally on the same pagewith you.
However, there's a smallernumber of customers that at
least that can afford that pricepoint.
That will make sure that that'stheir core driving force for
(27:29):
purchasing that product.
So my opinion was always, ifyou're going to have that, it
should be part of yourassortment, not all of your
assortment.
In terms of the materials,because at least you should see,
you know, take a temperaturecheck to see how does your
customer react to that.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
And I have and do you know?
There I was looking at theother day unless that's the DNA
of your brand exclusively.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
So you know that's the other side.
In terms of where you thinkcolor is going and silhouette,
this is like my favorite part.
When I was on a call with aretailer that is lower priced it
was interesting to hear about.
You know, hands-free stillsuper important.
Crossbody still super important.
Clutch not so much, but that'snot their customer.
(28:11):
You know, clutch, in my opinion, goes much more specialty or
mass or high end.
It's kind of like if you'regoing into a certain retailer,
you're not going there to buy aparty bag.
You want that party bag to beeither super cheap or super
expensive or super novelty.
My opinion.
So, in terms of color andsilhouette, where do you think
things are going in terms ofwhat you've seen?
Speaker 1 (28:32):
So I want to say and communicate this is Microsoft
being self-taught on developmentand design.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
I think you have to move past by saying self-taught,
because at this point you're anindustry expert, like you're
already validated.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
From the design process, getting caught up in
fall, winter, this spring,summer, these colors and I need
to create this color store wherethey're peering towards one's
teeth and that by the time I getto market I look like a
markdown, right.
So it's one thing if you're abigger brand, but if you're a
newer brand, you know what youtalk about.
Color and let's talk about it,and I'm going to share.
The reality is is you put acolor palette together that
(29:09):
reflects an ethos on yourproduct yet that also has legs
that can sell winter, spring,summer and fall?
Thank God, you said that that'sreality, okay.
And so then you say well then,don't I look like everybody else
?
Well then, figure out a way,just like I always say, it's
like a bookshelf and a shorterdoor over tier, okay, so take a
(29:30):
chance on a couple of colorstories or textile stories that
you communicate around it, butmake sure you have a
manufacturing partner that workswith you.
That will make twos, threes,yeah.
And I will say having lived this, where I wanted to go to market
with an assortment in a verystrong color palette and had not
(29:50):
been able to do it in New Yorkdue to pricing China through the
MOQ.
I said to myself I've got tofix this.
So I opened a little factory sowe now have the ability to do
this.
So I've resolved that you haveyour own factory, now a factory
partner in europe.
We're small.
Back what country?
Speaker 3 (30:07):
romania um this, wow, that's epic.
Nancy, nancy, nancy, nancy.
Wow, I can't wait to share yourinformation at the end because
wow.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
For bags.
We're moving into explorationfor other categories of hair
accessories.
I'll bet Clothing, but it wasreally out of my frustration of.
Also, I cannot take out aclient when you can't get their
bags made.
Well, I don't want to gothrough this challenge of a
investment of 50 or 60K or 80Kin the US with the dyes, the
(30:47):
MLQs, and tie up those dollarswhen we have to take those
dollars and split them evenlybetween logo, visual identity
development.
Yeah, so we did it.
So that's definitely madethings much easier.
We do real-time scenes with thefactory.
What's the MOQ?
(31:07):
6, 3, 12.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
Wow.
So instead of the designersaying, okay, I'm going to make
this all neutral, or I'm goingto do black, brown and oxblood,
and now they have an opportunityto do a short run collection of
green, hot pink, orange, yellow, just for, or at least develop
once.
Because the problem is, iseconomies of scale right?
(31:31):
Like if you're producing greenbags, on your end it's going to
cost you a lot more becauseyou're producing that much less,
but meanwhile you can't putthat to the customer.
So then what?
So that's always the pickle,because whenever I analyze and
talk to people about analyzingbrands and a brand's health is
counting how many pop-up coloredbags they have within their
(31:53):
assortment- it's a reallydelicate balance, right?
Speaker 1 (31:57):
You look at the success of any great brand who
stands for, identifying theirstrong item and then, from that,
pulling that out andcommunicating to the customer on
whether it be through size,through an impact.
It doesn't just have to be likecolor, it doesn't have to be
the rainbow.
It might be that you know thatyour communication and choice of
(32:20):
color story is very reflectiveof a trip to the country whereby
the way that the truth, thislove, has set shades of oranges.
You know it's also like theauthenticity of where you're
making your choices ofdevelopment and how you
communicate that.
Yeah, yeah, even still, thereality is is we're neutral,
(32:42):
always sells, and yet we do needthat impact of storytelling and
I was insanity is doing thesame thing over and over again,
expecting different results.
I know what it means.
I know what the costs are tocreate a brand and, yes,
products, wonderful, but whatinferior images, half-assed logo
, website.
(33:02):
That doesn't work.
It's just.
And also I've been pretty overthe years and recently and
always I'm part of every aspectof what the client does and
there's excellence all over.
I'm just saying is can youafford it If your proposal for a
logo, you know, or a website50K, well, no right, but it's
(33:27):
not instigating for agenciesthat are able to do it.
It's the same thing as when Ileft Lemmy Nails and started my
makeup brands right, I hired thePR company that represented
people.
I thought being in a magazinewas going to do it.
It's managing right.
And so we also now have a builtout for many clients logo,
website, fund system, visualidentity, and it's incredible,
(33:51):
I'll bet.
Yeah, it sounds amazing.
Let's go back to product,because that's the fun part.
So, in regards to and I feltthis for a while I feel that the
earthiness you know, as we know, the freshness of the consumer
becoming more casual, right, youknow, before COVID, you know
how women dressed, and then wewere stuck and now we're getting
(34:12):
dressed up.
Yet we have a real connectivityto nature and earth, earth.
So the idea of the colors ofnature, meaning that you could
choose a palette that is, shadesof matte, shades of green, like
right, like that would be yourstep and you don't need to do
one tan.
I'm not saying that's right,but I really feel very strongly
about chocolate.
(34:32):
I'm obsessed with chocolate andyou're gonna see it.
I mean to me really fresh and abeautiful alternative to blacks
.
And then, from a color paletteperspective, I think I still
feel that shades of green arebetter, just less acid, yeah,
(34:54):
but super excited about that,you know.
And ultimately, again, there'sbeautiful colors across all
spectrums.
What makes sense for thatperson's brands?
Speaker 3 (35:05):
So, just because we only have a couple minutes left,
what are your silhouettes towatch?
What do you think are on theirway out?
Because I don't want to taketoo much more of your time,
because we'll close in on anhour here, or 45 minutes.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Sure, I mean logic and reality is, is that we know?
You know since the beginning oftime for us that a smart tote
let's face a month, a smart tote, whether it's targeting working
woman, a mom, you know thatthere is some niche for a smart
tote.
At the same time, novelty andwhen I'm talking novelty, I'm
(35:38):
not then saying that it has tobe crystallized and embroidered,
but really smart, smart bagshapes.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
That's right, that's what I'm doing right now like
really coming out with somethingbeautiful.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
I really am quite inspired by hobos yeah, not a
hobos.
Yeah, not a 1990s 2003.
Yeah, kind of casual cross bodyhands-free really works with
(36:12):
what's happening in, ready towear.
And then I'm quite excitedabout travel because there's,
you know, like when I look backto travel brand that we created
together with a client and thefeedback from a very senior
person day of launch, you knowso many people are traveling.
So it's the idea of backpack.
Yeah, you know the utilitarianaspect of backpack, but for my
(36:34):
market or for doesn't mean allmy clients are doing this, but
some level of really kick atreally beautiful novelty, the
casual sophistication of somesort of crossbody messenger,
phobo, yep and such is.
Speaker 3 (36:48):
That's amazing.
Well, nancy, thank you so muchfor taking your time Again.
You are going to be our regularin terms of we're getting
updates with Nancy.
Where can we find you?
How can people find you?
How can people find you followyou?
Why do we get back toeverything, nancy?
Speaker 1 (37:05):
My company is the Accessory Think Tank.
We more now than accessories,since we're in our 18th year,
but the company Accessory ThinkTank.
My email is Nancy at theAccessory Think tank and my
Instagram is at accessory thinktank.
Speaker 3 (37:24):
Amazing, nancy, thank you.
Thank you so much.
Well, stay tuned and thanks forjoining us on the Handbag
Designer 101 podcast and more tocome.
Thanks, guys, have a good one.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Thanks for listening.
Don't forget to rate and review, and follow us on every single
platform at Handbag Designer.
Thanks so much.
See you next time.
It used to be easy to create a bag.
I mean, you and I both know welived it.
Take a brand, fix it up, changeit around and it can be a
million or $8 million in threeyears.
Raw consumer demands and, inthe retailer, ever more so the
consumer a real, clearunderstanding of the brand, its
values, its positioning, itsreason for being its consumer,
(00:21):
social responsibility.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Hi and welcome to Handbag Designer 101, the
podcast with your host, emilyBlumenthal, handbag industry
expert and the handbag fairygodmother.
Each week, we uncover thestories behind the handbags we
love, from the iconic brands andtop designers to the creativity
, craftsmanship and culture thatdefine the handbag world.
Whether you're a designer,collector or simply passionate
(00:45):
about handbags, this is yourfront row seat to it all.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Welcome to the Handbag Designer 101 podcast.
We have Nancy Foreman with ustoday from the Accessory Think
Tank.
Nancy, how far do we go back,how many years with the Z?
Speaker 1 (01:09):
I had heard of you and your success in the initial
Handbag Award creation.
How many years ago was that?
Oh my God, 2007.
So I met you in nine or 10,when my clients were getting to
win awards.
Yeah, I had wanted to meet you,that's so funny.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
So you were a merchant by trade.
I mean, I've had you speak atmy class, We've done talks
before but just for the sake ofthis podcast and our new
listeners, what's yourbackground?
I love hearing this because itso speaks to why you are so good
at what you do.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Thank you, emily, and really it's a thrill to be
talking with you.
I always love a lot and you'requite inspiring.
So thank you for having me Toshare as succinctly as possible.
I am a merchant.
It will always be ingrained inwho I am personally and
professionally.
I started my career withBlinney Nails and was with
Blinney Nails for 14 years inmerchandising and buying, and
(02:11):
that set the tone for myself,recognizing my great love of
products and my talent and skillin understanding the
marketplace, the competitivelandscape and merchandising.
So I am self-taught on thedesign aspects over the course
of about 17 years, yet stillalways apply my thinking as a
(02:36):
merchant and a very, very validunderstanding of the competitive
landscape, both in the aspectof how a consumer thinks, to how
a buyer thinks, to how tomaximize existing and future
opportunities.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
What do you think the biggest mistake the designers
we've worked with Like?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
what do you think some of those things going in,
Because I have a laundry list ofthose Managing expectations in
regard to how to literally startfrom point A to B to C,
understanding the challenges ofdevelopment and costs by country
, meaning I can produce in NewYork or Los Angeles and
(03:22):
essentially oversee it and do itin more real time, yet what are
those costs and how will thataffect my total cost?
Or I can go overseas andpotentially create something and
then have 1,000 or 2,000 unitsin a warehouse.
So one this initialunderstanding of expectation of
(03:44):
product development and also thereal understanding of managing
expectation of growth, as overand over again I have seen,
brands who get to the finishwhat they think the finish line
is, which is product development, end up at a trade show before
they're ready, which is a verybig investment, don't have the
(04:04):
success that they want and closetheir business.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, I mean, you and I both have seen people who
have hired experts, whateverthey are, because there are
plenty of people out there thatdo what you and I both do.
Well, I don't do what you do.
So I just want to make thatvery clear, because you're a one
of one, nancy.
Nobody does what you do as wellas you in terms of product
development, trend and so forth.
But they take someone, orsomeone takes them on and
(04:30):
promises them the sun, moon andstars, charges them an offensive
amount, and then they have, youknow, one bag for our
conversation's sake, one bag toshow for it.
And then they come to you withlike, well, I don't have much
money, but I have this one bagand I spent 20,000 developing
one bag.
Why am I not in sacks?
And it's like, oh damn, like Icould tell you a thousand
(04:53):
reasons why you're not in sacks,because there's 100,000 people
just like you.
Number one.
Number two you've blown throughyour money.
Number three productdevelopment costs money, whether
you do it on your own or you doit with someone like you, right
?
And number four understandingyour customer, designing into
that price point, understandingwhere they shop, why they shop,
(05:14):
what their needs are from,ethnographically speaking,
socioeconomically,geographically, all of that.
But to develop a product thatpeople will actually want and
need, it's a process and itrequires a lot of research and,
as far as I'm concerned, thatresearch is free.
It's free Like you can do thisresearch without spending a lot
(05:35):
of money, comparatively to howmuch you spend developing said
product Would you agree?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Yes, and also there's a way to approach research in a
very strategic way and alsorecognizing it is as a merchant.
I would say it begins and endswith products strategy.
The looking at the competitivelandscape really goes beyond
what shapes, what colors, butalso really looking at supply
(06:09):
chain transparency, consumersocial responsibility, where the
materials come from, howthey're made, who makes them
right.
So it's way more intense inregards to a comprehensive
understanding of brand strategyincrease.
So that's also how I've evolved.
I mean, when I talk aboutpowering shape all day long, the
(06:30):
reality is that a brand todayhas the opportunity to also
navigate and create through avery comprehensive strategy of
consumer social responsibilityand supply chain, material and
who's making it right.
And I say that I have created asmall batch women-owned
(06:53):
strategy to help navigate forstartups so that they don't go
out of business.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
What key points would you suggest in terms of
strategy that you've developedor templatized?
What would you start with?
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Okay, in regards to the strategy which I suggest for
any brand and I feel like thisis a method that we've put
together and it has been wellreceived and recognized is, over
and over again, a brand willcome to me and say what bags are
we making Right?
What jewelry are we making?
What decorative home are wemaking?
(07:27):
First and foremost, we stepback and we understand the
essence and soul and ethos ofthe brand, positioning, the DNA.
Yeah, it used to be easy tocreate a bag.
I mean, you and I both know welived it.
Take a brand, fix it up, changeit around and it can be a
million or $8 million in threeyears.
(07:47):
Raw consumer demands and, in theretailer, ever more so, the
consumer a real, clearunderstanding of the brand, its
values, its positioning, itsreason for being its consumer,
social responsibility and, asI've said minutes back, supply
chain transparency.
Transparency and that theproduct is made ethically right.
You know, over and over,alternative brands that move
(08:10):
away from leather.
Just because it is not leatherdoes not mean that it's a best
off environmental approach todevelopment.
The other thing I found is thatthere are many brands you say
work, sustainable.
Yeah, no, it's 100% sustainable.
Yes, and progress.
So to really communicate thatway and in creating this brand
(08:32):
ethos or blueprint, it keepsevery department on the same
page, because we are startups,we don't have the luxury of
having an organization andbuilding where we can meet each
week or every day to talk aboutwhere we're going from visual to
Instagram, to website, to logo,to font system.
(08:53):
So this deck keeps all theindependent contractors on the
same page and very often is acatalyst in opening the door to
really inspire manufacturingpartners or future partners who
want to get behind the brand.
So that's one thing.
And then also, as you asked, inregards to what are the biggest
(09:15):
mistakes, as you touched on,it's this managing expectation
and if I hire this person andpay them this much money for a
logo or a website or anInstagram strategy or social
media or a product for thatmatter, and I really think that
it is a process of a clock andall the arm movement of each of
(09:40):
the times or sections are yourpartnerships that move together
and that everybody should becommitted to the outcome of the
brands.
Yeah right, best of the brandas it launches and its
recognition, not hiring apartner or a strategist or a
(10:01):
logo designer who wants theirpage to go up and is not
involved Because a brand,especially when it launches,
there has to be a team that isproactive to the fact that maybe
the colors are off, maybe thelogo needs to be resized, maybe
the product is too expensive,maybe the Instagram is not
working.
You have to have a team that iscommitted after you launch.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Well, a couple of things.
One I call that basement toBeyonce that's my hashtag that
they get a little bit ofattention.
Or designers pay someone andautomatically the assumption is
that this person is going to bethe panacea of my brand.
Right Dollar and a dream.
I have an idea.
(10:44):
I'm a creator, I'm a designer.
Now I've employed someone who'sbasically going to convert
these thoughts, dreams, hopesand sketches and turn me into a
viable brand so I can tellpeople I am a real designer sold
at retail.
So that's one.
We both know that that'sfallacy at its best.
Number two not everybody hasthe luxury or the wherewithal to
(11:06):
find a Nancy, so you know to doall that on their own.
We want to kind of decrypt howand what that looks like.
So if I'm a handbag designerand I've created my first bag
and I paid $5,000 at a minimumfor a local manufacturer per se
domestic to create my firstsample, what do you as a
(11:27):
merchant do with that from there?
Like if someone comes to youand say that 5k is pretty
extreme.
I always say 5k because nobodygets their first bag right and
if you go to these manufacturersfor sampling, it's the lowest
hanging fruit of customer whereyou could say what do you not
like, what do you want changed,and, lo and behold, you get
(11:48):
charged again and again andagain and again.
So the sample might not be, butby the time you're done you've
dropped a minimum of 5K right.
Another point is an NDAnon-disclosure agreement.
It is always a tell for newdesigners or people who are a
little bit too green and it cancome back and bite them in terms
of being put at the bottom ofthe production list or being
(12:11):
charged that much more.
Is giving an NDA to a retailer,giving an N have to show what
you've done in order to getdiscovered, noticed,
conversation, and if you'reshowing up as a quote, unquote,
nobody with an NDA, damn.
(12:32):
I know I can like put you atthe bottom of my production list
because you don't know, or Ican charge you that much more
because you don't know.
And as a retailer or a buyer,I'm not going to even take your
call because I don't know youand I don't care.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Well, I think an NDA with a retailer is something
that I I've seen it, I have.
So I can't.
When it comes to an NDA, Ithink it's the approach there's
nothing wrong with an NDA beingsigned and it's just a reminder
for all of us and I think it'sthe approach with which the NDA
is delivered and communicated,because that's fair, frankly,
(13:07):
because my clients have NDAsigned all the time and it's
really the delivery andcommunication.
Listen, I understand your levelof expertise.
It's just an industry reminderand most often the manufacturer
who is in place is used to it.
I will say I have seen, notwithin the US but overseas
(13:29):
literally submitted something toa jewelry manufacturer and saw
it was a design I developedliterally by design.
Yeah, completely knockoff.
So it's got to be done Right,often 99%, no problem, but I
don't have an issue with it.
In regards to your question onmanufacturing, it's all about
(13:49):
budget and time and experience.
Yeah, so a brand or designerneeds to have that in-person
experience to create theirproducts and 5K is within the
budget.
So be it.
They're ordinary manufacturersin New York.
I know throughout the world bylooking in a bag about how much
(14:10):
it's going to cost in sampleproduction, moq landed.
So ultimately, also if backingup the brand or the client
designer really understands.
Before back to me taking a lookat the Rubik's Cube of strategy
.
Right, yeah, and that, again,is also what should be done
(14:33):
before a product is made.
Yeah, look at the options andthe pros and cons.
Sometimes the 5K is the rightchoice because of time.
Is money, right?
You know frustration, yeah, soyou really have to look at that
as a total to make the decision,because we develop that yeah,
(14:54):
there's so much to cover rightnow.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
But even in terms of sustainability, are you working
with brands that are stillwanting leather?
Because I work with, actuallyrecently within my handbag
designer, incubator designersthat were hell bent on keeping
leather and having customersunderstand the beauty, the joy,
the seafield touch, thattangibility factor of a leather
(15:19):
bag.
How do you approach that versus, you know, from a sustainable
element of saying no, no, no, no, no, you know, like, let's make
sure that because you can'tguarantee that the piece goods
are dead stock you can't, norshould you in some capacity or
cases.
You know, how do you integratethat into the assortment?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Well, why I believe that there's incredible beauty
in artisanal aspects and, in asense, approach to well lived
products that come from leather.
Yeah, I have such incrediblerelationships with so many
tanneries and owners oftanneries, so understanding
their positioning, how theymanufacture their tanning
(15:58):
processes, so agree completelythat there is a place for
leather and then there is aplace for alternative materials
and the reason for thosereflects the positioning and
ethos of who the brand is, whatthey stand for, yeah, where they
want to land and where theywant to make it right exactly
person.
No one answer and frankly,there is.
(16:21):
There are incredible strategiesand interpretations happening
at both weights alternativematerials and with leathers,
everybody wants to be better.
You know, obviously, if it's adesigner who is truly, truly
committed to the authenticity ofall beings, right, then they're
not going to use leather, right, and there's a place for both.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
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If you had dreams of becoming ahandbag designer and didn't
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If you had dreams of becoming ahandbag designer but aren't
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Speaker 2 (16:59):
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Speaker 3 (17:08):
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(17:51):
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Today.
(18:12):
We're kind of jumping around interms of all this, but what do
you see in terms of productionfactories, countries that people
may not know of or think of interms of getting their bags made
?
And do you have thoughts onChina?
(18:33):
No, China.
Like I know, so many brandsright now are just using their
China factories for sampling,but not production.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
I have found and find because we produce throughout
the United States and India,different parts of India and
China, italy, romania, portugaland more that.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Every country has its own and also has their ability
for domestic production.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
I will tell you that China for such incredible
relationships and partnerships,both in production and material
development, and jewelry anddecorative home in China and
then in Europe.
So you know, it really comesdown to again where does the
brand want to be in regards toprice, quality and MLQ?
(19:20):
Right, because there is noreason to develop in China if
you're not going to producethere.
I mean, to your point, you havepeople sampling.
Well, the handwork isextraordinary, yeah, right, yet
there's a lot of writable.
The biggest hand manufacturingin the world is in Vietnam,
right, the reality is that theMOQ is what?
(19:41):
1,000, 3,000.
So we can't do that.
But you know, again, we producein Seoul, korea, all over.
And frankly, I also feel and dothis that in order to be
informed from the beginning, oneof the first things to do is
also look and say again if Iproduce it here, this is where
it's going to land in regards toMQ, price, quality and timing
(20:02):
versus here.
And it may be that I start here, right, yet when I'm producing,
I'm paying a higher price.
Yet I know that my goal is tohit this retail, so I want it to
be, so it sells.
My margins are smaller, I growmy volume, I already know where
I can go, so that if retailer Xsays Emily, we absolutely love
(20:25):
what you're doing, your pricesare too high and you don't
already know where you can go.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Right, what's MOQ?
Just to be clear.
Okay, and in terms of landedprice, now there's a variety of
pricing.
Right, there's trade on board,which is FOB.
There's landed duty paid, whichis landed LDP.
With your designers, how do youtypically do the pricing when
you're saying landed?
So how would you think aboutthat?
Speaker 1 (20:55):
What happens is internationally.
You know there's a freightforwarder that manages, so that
there's less of a surprise,right?
The thing that's been verychallenging today is shipping.
Yep, shipping costs areoutrageous, yep.
So, again, when you're sinkingthrough the $5,000 bag to be
(21:17):
made in your city, right, yep,and the shipping costs literally
, over time, equal that.
So, again, being really clearin the short and longer term on
what is going to come up, right,you make the right decision.
I would love to talk aboutwhat's happening in the market.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
No, I would.
I actually wanted to because Iwant to cover, you know, a sweet
spot of pricing where you thinkfor different markets, and then
also make sure when we wrap up,we speak about colors, trends,
silhouettes, where we thinkthings are going, because you
know, I want to make sure thatwe have you on at least once
every three months just to getthe Nancy update, because this
(21:58):
covers, I mean, right now,everything we're speaking about
is pretty timeless.
You know, to learn how tocreate a bag from sketch
inception to shelf, to repeatbusiness, to customer
acquisition, to sustainability,to strategy, like there's a
whole kind of you could drawboxes and arrows for what the
correct pathway to do it.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Well, I also feel that being an entrepreneur or a
new designer or even anestablished designer, who needs
a wake up, right, who needs awake up is in reference and I'm
really thinking about the clockor pie and you really have to
put a strategy together as anentrepreneur to where so many
hats in order to reallyunderstand.
(22:38):
So it's also almost like withina month on to ensure that you
devote time to sales strategy,right, and how do you do that
and how that leads tounderstanding the competitive
landscape and other brands andidentifying the stockists list.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
So sorry, I'm going to get me started on my sexy
SWAT, which I live for, anddoing a competitive analysis and
oh, wow, yeah, we definitelyneed to do more than one
conversation, but let's justmove over right now to pricing
and sweet spots and where youthink that's going.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Contemporary, modern luxury is really my expertise.
I know that there's mass andoff price and volume.
I know the levels in themeetings.
So I'm not going to talk aboutthose competitive $59, $69, $99,
$199 prices, because it is notmy market.
Yet it is sell to the masses,sell to the classes, sell to the
(23:35):
classes, live at the masses.
Nothing wrong with that.
I am very, very focused on theradiation and creation of
something that doesn't exist andthen try to navigate and create
that in quality and thencommunication to the consumer
and the retailer, and with thatthen the positioning is more
(23:56):
expensive on every level.
Yet the minimums that one hasto invest are controlled right.
It's not just what you make,it's what you spend Right and
what you make you can have ahealthy business.
You could be a million dollarbusiness and be profitable, and
you could be a million dollarbusiness.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
So what you said, contemporary, modern per se.
What retailer would that fallinto and what sweet spot would
you speak to?
Speaker 1 (24:21):
with that?
That would be a suffragette.
I was in London last monthsuffragettes.
I was in London last month.
It's very similar to Verdor orSaks whereby joplin is really
like next level assortment ofproduct near mass, and yet
there's a contemporary for it.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
So one of our clients what retailer in the US would
you say that would fall in?
Speaker 1 (24:47):
I'm sorry, I was thinking about the success of
one of our clients to getNordstrom.
I love Nordstrom, love, love,love, love Nordstrom and their
willingness to take a chance onnewness.
Yeah Well, anything else,although Nordstrom, I feel, has
a broader assortment of newness.
I think those two obviouslySaks, but those are more
(25:10):
challenging, right, and theytake a little bit longer.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
And then, of course, specialty stores Right and I
think, don't sleep on them.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
People feel shocked.
I actually love working withthe specialty stores Me too.
The feedback, the willingnessto take a chance, the
willingness to pay up front, andreally throughout the country,
there are tastemakers who reallyunderstand their customer,
whether it's in Iowa, oklahoma,alabama, palm Beach, naval,
(25:45):
florida, baltimore, chicago, andI continue to follow the stores
through signing up for theirmarketing emails.
Yeah, you following those keystores on Instagram.
Yeah, those key merchants onLinkedIn.
I have immense respect forthose specialty stores that have
(26:06):
been able to develop curatedappointments and really be a
tastemaker for their customers.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
So what price point would you say?
That would be A sweet spot.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Oh, it's $4.95 to $7.95.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
$7.95 would be for a full leather, or not even
necessarily full leather.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
Leather.
The thing is, we were analyzingthis the other day with the
factory, our small factory, andI'm working at a bag made in
leather and non-leather.
Right, right, actually, becausenow leather, we're really using
new alternative, best-ofmaterials that are more
(26:45):
expensive to make.
Yeah, it's less bio-basedpercents, so they're a bit
expensive a meter.
One of them is 35 dollars, wow,wow, so really almost equal to
leather.
Yet the consumer understandingthat, right, so you can take,
just have to be careful.
I think I know there is stillan exception by most consumers
(27:06):
that leather has more value.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
Yet look at Stella right, right, but I could go
back and forth on this.
Because I buy intosustainability, I understand
that I totally on the same pagewith you.
However, there's a smallernumber of customers that at
least that can afford that pricepoint.
That will make sure that that'stheir core driving force for
(27:29):
purchasing that product.
So my opinion was always, ifyou're going to have that, it
should be part of yourassortment, not all of your
assortment.
In terms of the materials,because at least you should see,
you know, take a temperaturecheck to see how does your
customer react to that.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
And I have and do you know?
There I was looking at theother day unless that's the DNA
of your brand exclusively.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
So you know that's the other side.
In terms of where you thinkcolor is going and silhouette,
this is like my favorite part.
When I was on a call with aretailer that is lower priced it
was interesting to hear about.
You know, hands-free stillsuper important.
Crossbody still super important.
Clutch not so much, but that'snot their customer.
(28:11):
You know, clutch, in my opinion, goes much more specialty or
mass or high end.
It's kind of like if you'regoing into a certain retailer,
you're not going there to buy aparty bag.
You want that party bag to beeither super cheap or super
expensive or super novelty.
My opinion.
So, in terms of color andsilhouette, where do you think
things are going in terms ofwhat you've seen?
Speaker 1 (28:32):
So I want to say and communicate this is Microsoft
being self-taught on developmentand design.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
I think you have to move past by saying self-taught,
because at this point you're anindustry expert, like you're
already validated.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
From the design process, getting caught up in
fall, winter, this spring,summer, these colors and I need
to create this color store wherethey're peering towards one's
teeth and that by the time I getto market I look like a
markdown, right.
So it's one thing if you're abigger brand, but if you're a
newer brand, you know what youtalk about.
Color and let's talk about it,and I'm going to share.
The reality is is you put acolor palette together that
(29:09):
reflects an ethos on yourproduct yet that also has legs
that can sell winter, spring,summer and fall?
Thank God, you said that that'sreality, okay.
And so then you say well then,don't I look like everybody else
?
Well then, figure out a way,just like I always say, it's
like a bookshelf and a shorterdoor over tier, okay, so take a
(29:30):
chance on a couple of colorstories or textile stories that
you communicate around it, butmake sure you have a
manufacturing partner that workswith you.
That will make twos, threes,yeah.
And I will say having lived this, where I wanted to go to market
with an assortment in a verystrong color palette and had not
(29:50):
been able to do it in New Yorkdue to pricing China through the
MOQ.
I said to myself I've got tofix this.
So I opened a little factory sowe now have the ability to do
this.
So I've resolved that you haveyour own factory, now a factory
partner in europe.
We're small.
Back what country?
Speaker 3 (30:07):
romania um this, wow, that's epic.
Nancy, nancy, nancy, nancy.
Wow, I can't wait to share yourinformation at the end because
wow.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
For bags.
We're moving into explorationfor other categories of hair
accessories.
I'll bet Clothing, but it wasreally out of my frustration of.
Also, I cannot take out aclient when you can't get their
bags made.
Well, I don't want to gothrough this challenge of a
investment of 50 or 60K or 80Kin the US with the dyes, the
(30:47):
MLQs, and tie up those dollarswhen we have to take those
dollars and split them evenlybetween logo, visual identity
development.
Yeah, so we did it.
So that's definitely madethings much easier.
We do real-time scenes with thefactory.
What's the MOQ?
(31:07):
6, 3, 12.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
Wow.
So instead of the designersaying, okay, I'm going to make
this all neutral, or I'm goingto do black, brown and oxblood,
and now they have an opportunityto do a short run collection of
green, hot pink, orange, yellow, just for, or at least develop
once.
Because the problem is, iseconomies of scale right?
(31:31):
Like if you're producing greenbags, on your end it's going to
cost you a lot more becauseyou're producing that much less,
but meanwhile you can't putthat to the customer.
So then what?
So that's always the pickle,because whenever I analyze and
talk to people about analyzingbrands and a brand's health is
counting how many pop-up coloredbags they have within their
(31:53):
assortment- it's a reallydelicate balance, right?
Speaker 1 (31:57):
You look at the success of any great brand who
stands for, identifying theirstrong item and then, from that,
pulling that out andcommunicating to the customer on
whether it be through size,through an impact.
It doesn't just have to be likecolor, it doesn't have to be
the rainbow.
It might be that you know thatyour communication and choice of
(32:20):
color story is very reflectiveof a trip to the country whereby
the way that the truth, thislove, has set shades of oranges.
You know it's also like theauthenticity of where you're
making your choices ofdevelopment and how you
communicate that.
Yeah, yeah, even still, thereality is is we're neutral,
(32:42):
always sells, and yet we do needthat impact of storytelling and
I was insanity is doing thesame thing over and over again,
expecting different results.
I know what it means.
I know what the costs are tocreate a brand and, yes,
products, wonderful, but whatinferior images, half-assed logo
, website.
(33:02):
That doesn't work.
It's just.
And also I've been pretty overthe years and recently and
always I'm part of every aspectof what the client does and
there's excellence all over.
I'm just saying is can youafford it If your proposal for a
logo, you know, or a website50K, well, no right, but it's
(33:27):
not instigating for agenciesthat are able to do it.
It's the same thing as when Ileft Lemmy Nails and started my
makeup brands right, I hired thePR company that represented
people.
I thought being in a magazinewas going to do it.
It's managing right.
And so we also now have a builtout for many clients logo,
website, fund system, visualidentity, and it's incredible,
(33:51):
I'll bet.
Yeah, it sounds amazing.
Let's go back to product,because that's the fun part.
So, in regards to and I feltthis for a while I feel that the
earthiness you know, as we know, the freshness of the consumer
becoming more casual, right, youknow, before COVID, you know
how women dressed, and then wewere stuck and now we're getting
(34:12):
dressed up.
Yet we have a real connectivityto nature and earth, earth.
So the idea of the colors ofnature, meaning that you could
choose a palette that is, shadesof matte, shades of green, like
right, like that would be yourstep and you don't need to do
one tan.
I'm not saying that's right,but I really feel very strongly
about chocolate.
(34:32):
I'm obsessed with chocolate andyou're gonna see it.
I mean to me really fresh and abeautiful alternative to blacks
.
And then, from a color paletteperspective, I think I still
feel that shades of green arebetter, just less acid, yeah,
(34:54):
but super excited about that,you know.
And ultimately, again, there'sbeautiful colors across all
spectrums.
What makes sense for thatperson's brands?
Speaker 3 (35:05):
So, just because we only have a couple minutes left,
what are your silhouettes towatch?
What do you think are on theirway out?
Because I don't want to taketoo much more of your time,
because we'll close in on anhour here, or 45 minutes.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Sure, I mean logic and reality is, is that we know?
You know since the beginning oftime for us that a smart tote
let's face a month, a smart tote, whether it's targeting working
woman, a mom, you know thatthere is some niche for a smart
tote.
At the same time, novelty andwhen I'm talking novelty, I'm
(35:38):
not then saying that it has tobe crystallized and embroidered,
but really smart, smart bagshapes.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
That's right, that's what I'm doing right now like
really coming out with somethingbeautiful.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
I really am quite inspired by hobos yeah, not a
hobos.
Yeah, not a 1990s 2003.
Yeah, kind of casual cross bodyhands-free really works with
(36:12):
what's happening in, ready towear.
And then I'm quite excitedabout travel because there's,
you know, like when I look backto travel brand that we created
together with a client and thefeedback from a very senior
person day of launch, you knowso many people are traveling.
So it's the idea of backpack.
Yeah, you know the utilitarianaspect of backpack, but for my
(36:34):
market or for doesn't mean allmy clients are doing this, but
some level of really kick atreally beautiful novelty, the
casual sophistication of somesort of crossbody messenger,
phobo, yep and such is.
Speaker 3 (36:48):
That's amazing.
Well, nancy, thank you so muchfor taking your time Again.
You are going to be our regularin terms of we're getting
updates with Nancy.
Where can we find you?
How can people find you?
How can people find you followyou?
Why do we get back toeverything, nancy?
Speaker 1 (37:05):
My company is the Accessory Think Tank.
We more now than accessories,since we're in our 18th year,
but the company Accessory ThinkTank.
My email is Nancy at theAccessory Think tank and my
Instagram is at accessory thinktank.
Speaker 3 (37:24):
Amazing, nancy, thank you.
Thank you so much.
Well, stay tuned and thanks forjoining us on the Handbag
Designer 101 podcast and more tocome.
Thanks, guys, have a good one.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Thanks for listening.
Don't forget to rate and review, and follow us on every single
platform at Handbag Designer.
Thanks so much.
See you next time.
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