Duct Tape Handbag Designer in Distribution Deal

New Haven, Connecticut, (PRWeb.com) April 5, 2005 - A new line of duct-tape purses, designed by Vanessa Herald, will be distributed exclusively by LoveMyBag.com. According to Jill Savarese, owner of Love My Bag, LLC, the new “Vanessa Jean” line boasts some of Herald’s best, most creative work to date.

Herald’s collaboration with Savarese is especially noteworthy because of the synchronicity. Although the two never formally met until much later, both women graduated from Yale University, both received degrees in Linguistics, both entered the handbag business, and both became entrepreneurs. Although their interests are similar, their paths have been divergent. Savarese’s fashion sense was influenced by her exposure to Hollywood during her early years as a professional actor. Soon, she started her own online company selling luxury handbags, including popular brands such as Prada, Fendi, Raviani, and Chelsey Henry. Herald, on the other hand, pursued her long-time fascination with duct tape, beginning first with making and selling products to friends and family, then at craft fairs, and finally, on her own website.

What inspired both women to delve into fashion, especially handbags, was its functionality and range for expression. Savarese believes in the power of handbags to uplift and satisfy. She says, “Handbags are the most validating wardrobe piece you can wear. What else will still fit perfectly no matter what? What else can you wear everyday for a week, a month, or a season? I hear women so often saying, ‘I love my bag!’ This makes sense because in an increasingly sizist and temporary world, handbags are accepting and have more permanence. That was the inspiration behind the name Love My Bag and the slogan, ‘The Handbag that Loves You Back’. Herald is another believer in the transforming power of handbags and takes delight in the surprising versatility of duct tape. She explains, “It’s flexible and easy to work with; it also adds extra dimension to a finished product, but what inspires me the most about duct tape is the challenge of turning something so industrial into a refined and feminine high-fashion item. It’s unexpected… who would have thought?!”

It was precisely this element of surprise and resourcefulness that caught Savarese’s eye and prompted her to contact Herald. Savarese, who had first read about Herald and her business in a newspaper article, was strolling through a boutique store scouting names of designer bags to carry on her website when she alighted upon Herald’s creations. “I liked the style and looked for the label, and that’s when I realized it was the same designer that I had read about in the papers,” Savarese said.

Talk of collaboration soon ensued and Herald found herself crafting an exclusive line of Vanessa Jean duct tape purses that is available only at LoveMyBag.com. Herald says, “These new pieces speak directly to the fashion-savvy shopper. They are a bit more feminine and softer than the average Vanessa Jean duct tape item. Each features special detailing, like pink ribbon or 3-D floral accents that are unique to the line.”

When asked why she chose Love My Bag as the exclusive carrier of her new line, Herald answered, “I admire Jill and what she is doing with her website: providing hard to find pieces and a solid selection along with advice and fashion-related articles. As an emerging artist, I appreciate even more the value that Jill puts on the designers of the lines she carries. Her loyalty and efforts in maintaining these relationships distinguish her from other people in the industry.”

And, while its common knowledge that the fashion industry is as volatile as it is merciless, Savarese and Herald are deftly carving out a niche for themselves. Herald’s work has already generated a lot of hype with favorable reviews in magazines and newspapers like Sweet 16, Girl’s Life, Hoard, Bust, Yale Daily News, and the New Haven Register, among many others. Her collaboration with Savarese will undoubtedly attract the attention of yet more fashionistas far and wide.

Savarese herself foresees numerous projects in the horizon. Love My Bag will take Briarwood College by storm as students compete with one another to come up with the most original and effective ad campaign for the company. Savarese also plans to recruit fresh faces to model the new arrivals to her Fall collection, which will include the much flaunted Ugg and other styles from up-and-coming designers. “Our customers’ tastes are as a varied as there are people in the world. Uniqueness and diversity are important to me, and I try to keep that in mind while choosing labels to showcase on my website,” Savarese says.

Well, one thing is certain. Duct tape lovers are in for a treat. Fashion is just one mouse click away.

About Love My Bag

Love My Bag promotes and sells authentic designer handbags and encourages customers to be informed. Love My Bag is compiling the most comprehensive library of handbag collections and designers on the Internet. Company founder Jill Savarese interacts with customers through her fashion advice newsletter. For more information, please visit http://www.lovemybag.com/.