Well, we just completed two shows. (capsule) NY and Las Vegas. It was quite an experience. It is roughly two and a half years now since we started our web shop. It is two years since our first wholesale customer, so you might say we are a little "wet behind the ears". The decision to do a show was a big one. First it is expensive, secondly I was haunted with the thought of nobody coming by. Well looking back, (it was expensive) we had many interested people. Some were familiar, others saw us for the first time. All in all, people loved the bags and they were very encouraging. It sure was nice to hear people say how much they like your offering, even if it did take 40 to 50 years to notice.
The picture above is a display of bags that we thought women would find interesting. It is made up of color, first, then our purse sized duffels; the Fisher's Island and the Gardiner's Island, totes; in the Gear bag and Mills tote sizes, and the cobalt blue bag top center is a Dam Pond steamer purse bag. The expensive graphic in the middle of the picture came from OfficeMax.
Many people were really impressed with the construction of the bags and they were somewhat critical of the photography that it does not properly convey the quality and workmanship of the bags. I agree, but I am too much of a knucklehead to figure out how to do the photography better. That is why most of our bags are only sold at retail. That decision was made because you just can't appreciate good needle work in two dimensions, so we try to only present them in three dimensions and better stores.
I really don't think you can really appreciate the way the bags are made until you wash them. A good bag should be an investment, not a whim.
