One of our favorite m.a.m.a.s, Los Angeles-based top designer Gina Alexander will host the first ever “Handbag Laboratory” to give young designers the essential tools needed to start and grow their own business in the multi-billion dollar a year handbag industry on Friday, March 2 at the California Market Center in Los Angeles. This one-day only symposium brings together leading industry professionals from design, manufacturing, retail and e-commerce to give insight, experience and advice to students and beginning entrepreneurs about the ins and outs of the lucrative and highly competitive handbag business.
“I want to share my story and experience of starting and owning a business based on my passion and creativity with other people, especially the next generation of young, fashion designers,” explains Gina, “because it’s important to me not only to inspire young designers but also to be able to give them the tools they need to succeed. The fashion world is part knowledge and part experience. You can’t teach this in school.”
Gina, who studied at the acclaimed Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, began her own business of custom photographed hand bags some thirteen years ago at a small kiosk in Hollywood. In her second year, she did $1.4M in sales and the business boomed. Soon, she began designing for a diverse celebrity clientele, making appearances on HSN and QVC and then being featured at Nordstrom, Saks and Red Envelope. Now, Gina Alexander, Inc. is the top photo handbag maker in the world.
This event is for all aspiring handbag designers and those in the fashion industry concerned with keeping production local instead of outsourcing to other countries. Guests & speakers at this event will include consultants to Fendi,
Salvatorre Ferragamo, Gucci, Christian Lacroix, designers for artists including Avril Lavigne, Gwen Stefani and Kim Kardashian along with contractors for luxury handbag designers like Louis Vuitton, Betsy Johnson and more.
A portion of proceeds from event ticket sales will benefit the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and m.a.m.a earth. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops (free WIFI), business cards and samples of their designs. General seating/registration fee is $99.00. For further information including purchasing tickets to the Lab, please click HERE.
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