Corso Como Handbag- $198.00

Several weeks ago, I caught wind of new news in Corso Como. If you’re already familiar with this brand for their fabulous shoes, well you’ll be excited to learn that these famous kicks now have handbags to pair with! Here’s a pic of my new bag and I absolutely LOVE it. It is made of genuine leather and is so soft. But what we think gives it real personality is the fun liner to spice up this black classic look.

Karen Rutkowski, President of Corso Como Handbags chatted with us about her venture into this new line and the exciting path she has begun with the brand. I so enjoyed our conversation and we probably could have chatted all day. But here is a little bit of what she had to tell us:

LDB: So Karen, tell us about the beginning of your company. When/how did you get started and tell us how you have seen the brand grow so far.

KR: I have worked on the corporate side of the fashion industry for over 20 years and in September 2009 I found myself at a crossroads. While considering the possibility of going out on my own, I ran into Max Herrell the President of Corso Como Footwear at a trade show and a new opportunity presented itself. So I traveled with them to learn more of what they were about. I was impressed by the way they grew their brand. So, we came to an agreement about creating a corporation for Corso Como Handbags.

LDB: At what point did you decide that this was the right career for you?

KR: In college, I majored in Marketing and minored in Textiles. I moved into a career in fashion pretty much right away. I began as an intern for Esprit and eventually moved into retail and sales. I worked for the Esprit brand for 17 years, right up until their U.S. operations closed. During my time there, I moved to Dallas to work for Esprit accessories which is where much of my experience with handbags came from. Eventually, we could see that careers in retail and sales were decreasing. Where there used to be a need for twelve sales people, there was now only four.

LDB: What has been the most exciting experience for you since your launch?

KR: There have been so many! I can’t choose just one. I love supporting small boutiques. They have some fun finds and handcrafted pieces worth spending a little more for. I love to mix more expensive pieces with less expensive ones in my wardrobe. I might wear a T-shirt from Target with a great piece of jewelry that I paid much more for. And I believe that most women today who love fashion do that too.

LDB: What makes your bags unique?

KR: Max is already known for making shoes that are very comfortable, so handbags are also functional and practical while keeping a great sense of style. Women today are multi-faceted, involved in their career but also a mom of kids and involved in their community. It doesn’t matter how beautiful the handbag is, if it doesn’t have pockets or your wallet doesn’t fit then it sits in the closet. We think about these things.

The type of leather we use is also unique. We use material like metallic snake overlay, sparkle leather (which is a lamb leather with a sparkle overlay), metallic croc and even embroidery on leather. The natural material we use keep the bags from having a lot of structure.

LDB: Where do you look for inspiration?

We have a small team and it is very much a collaborative effort. We find our inspiration from trade shows, leather shows and we shop a LOT at all kinds of places including vintage and flea markets. We travel and pick up pieces throughout the year that we love. We are careful to watch the trends and consider how they relate to our brands’ “fashion with functionality” message. The most important piece we decide on first is the leather or fabric, then we consider color and finally the silhouette. We try to stay within the shoe color themes and fabric to keep a cohesive look throughout the brand.

LDB: What can we look forward to seeing more of from Corso Como Handbags?

Well, we have enough going on now with the recent launch, but you can look forward to seeing a lower-tiered handbag brand in the next couple of years…Ciao Bella!

LDB: Where would LDB readers find you when you aren’t working to launch a brand?

Well, I’m a mom of three kids: 14 and 10 year old twins! They are my #1 priority and more than anything else, I am a mom first. A couple of years ago, I participated in my first triathlon which was also a lot of fun and definitely something I would do again.

Click here for more on Corso Como’s new line of handbags. We certainly found our favorites and I will bring you new updates on Karen’s line as we hear about them. Best of luck, Karen and thanks for sharing your story with LDB.

By Rachel Yeomans

On a chilly Wednesday night in the Chicago winter wonderland, we took our bundled selves into the stylish Grand Ballroom of the Sofitel Water Tower Chicago to celebrate the start of a big new year with StyleChicago.

StyleChicago’s Resolutions 2010 event was a fantastic way to usher in the New Year! A fun crowd, multiple vendors and generous food and drink (not to mention the goody bags) took a typical weekday into a stylish affair. Vendors included H20, Paint, @Properties and my Spa. Not only were attendees pampered by food and drink, but they had the option for a makeover or an eyelash extension as well!

Cocktails were provided by X-Rated Fusion Liqueur and hors d’oeuvres by Café des Architects.

Chicagoans have always been admirable on being able to enjoy an outing despite threatening weather. StyleChicago not only combated the weather but conquered it with a flip of a martini shaker while our coats were cooling off in coat check.

One of our favorite sites is at it again! US Trendy brings us the most popular names in indie fashion voted on by their readers. But now they are offering readers access to these coveted names everyday! Readers get a one-of-a-kind look while designers are given another venue to sell their lines. It looks a bit like etsy…just for indie fashion lovers!

I just spent about an hour browsing all of the looks available and I don’t think I came close to seeing the whole store. For such a new online boutique, I’m shocked at the variety that’s available. No matter your personal taste or price point, there seems to be something for everyone.

BLOOM handbag- $40.00

Some of our favorites are this Love Belle dress by Sara Mena, Blouse by Julie and BLOOM handbag by Mamsirati Irm/-e .

Check it out and tell them LDB sent you! Happy Shopping!

LDB: I love the fresh look you give each design. How were you inspired to start your collection of jewelry? And tell us about the materials you use.

LLD: Thanks for your sweet words! I made jewelry in high school, but it wasn’t until a trip to San Diego, California after my first son was born that I got really inspired to make my own jewelry. I bought a few bracelets and then had an I-could-make-these moment. So I did!

My jewelry has changed over the years as I’ve learned new techniques and have grown into my own style. We use mainly sterling silver and cream freshwater pearls to create our signature look!

LDB: What part of the design process do you enjoy the most?

LLD: The design process is so much fun! My favorite part is seeing an idea go from a sketch to a real-life necklace hung around someone’s neck. And the first time I see a new completed design, I always think it’s the best one we’ve ever done.

LDB: What has been the most exciting for you since launching your jewelry line?

LLD: It’s been so exciting to watch the business grow. Being featured in magazines like Parenting and Glamour is thrilling. We did a local morning show in Birmingham, Alabama and it was my first experience with anything like that. Also, seeing celebrities wearing my jewelry is completely surreal.

LDB: What methods  do you use to market and sell your items? Are you currently sold in boutique stores?

LLD: Certainly our best advertising comes from word-of-mouth. Blogging has also been incredible for my business because people really want to know the artist behind the creations. We sell mostly through our online store at lisaleonardonline.com. We have a few boutiques that carry our designs, but we really focus on retail. If you are in California, check out Hands Gallery in San Luis Obispo- love them!

LDB: What’s next for Lisa Leonard Designs?

LLD: Hmmm, good question! Our plan is to keep making jewelry and we hope people continue to love it. We’ve got a couple new designs we’ll introduce in the next few weeks- so stay tuned!

Click here to browse Lisa’s full collection. Such a great gift idea for mom or grandma. Get Mother’s Day done early this year!

We love Lisa Leonard Designs!

After a nice long much-needed hiatus from “real life”, we are back to bring you the latest in indie designer news. I hope that each of your had a fabulous holiday and are beginning 2010 with a bang.

After a long vacation to Disneyland, hosting family at Christmas, and starting a brand new start-up (yeah…it’s true!), I’m finally sitting back to LDB to give it the attention it deserves.

Thanks for your patience, everyone. We have many great things in store for the year and I’m looking forward to chatting with all of your about your favorite new designers and styles this decade will be known for.

All the best!

Oh, and here’s my holiday card for you…a little late. Sorry.

My absolute favorite item is her photo tins. At only 4″ x 6″ the are small enough to fit in a small handbag and oh so cute! They retail at $25, fit nine wallet-sized pictures of your hubby, kids or dog and Sarah will customize the look to fit your theme, favorite color or anything you have in mind. This is what Sarah had to say about them: “

I think the photo tins are what I’m most proud of. I love the idea of being able to carry pictures of those you love in your purse and not worry about them getting bent or destroyed. I felt especially proud of the HOPE tins since it was my way of giving back…20% of each tin went to Susan G Komen for Breast Cancer Research.”

Here is a little more of my interview with Sarah:

What inspires your paper creations?

Different things inspire me. My kids…women with cancer, the incredible way a happy design makes people smile and feel warm. In terms of my designs, I can see certain colors together, see a pattern on some paper or see shapes while I’m out walking…anything can inspire me and then I just go back to my desk and play!

Where are you when you aren’t working?

Well, lately I can usually be found volunteering at my daughter’s school. Partially because of my former life as a teacher and partially because I love that sparkle I see in Emily’s eyes, I feel it’s essential that we support our teachers and schools as best we can…

Do you have a favorite boutique shop? If so, what?

I haven’t been doing a lot of shopping lately, but when I was looking for unusual and wonderful gifts, I would always go to Zipper. They were on 3^rd Street in Los Angeles and then they opened a shop in Brooklyn , NY . A month or so ago they closed their store here and opened in Sonoma , CA . So Cal ’s loss is No Cal ’s gain! At least I can still find them online!!

I had a great time getting to know Sarah and I was more and more impressed with each creation she pulled out for me to see. We’ll be watching her closely to see what she does next! To see for yourself, click here to visit her website.

Please submit:

It was quite cold during the first weekend of December. Temperatures dropped to the numbers we Chicagoans don’t usually have to deal with until mid-January; however such was not the case this season. Yet we as Chicago residents are used to braving the cold, bundling up in layers, and refusing to be shacked in by the Midwestern weather.

Therefore nothing could stop us from venturing out to the first ever Fashion & Shopping Extravaganza held in the trendy Wicker Park space, The Creative Lounge. Hosted by Fashion Rocks Chicago and See More Shopping, designers spanned the enormous space with tables and racks for their items, while we shed our coats and layers to get down and dirty with fun and fashion.

Attendees received complimentary homemade goodie bags upon entering the event along with free snacks and refreshments. And if trying on pretty clothing and jewelry wasn’t enough to get over the cold, mini makeovers and hair styling was provided for guests courtesy of Sugar & Spice.

Designers included the wondrous talents of Evil Kitty, Anastasia Chatzka, 5p1t, CC Bella, Rosina Mae, K-Fleye, Mr. Tastees and Poise.cc. Partners included Sugar & Spice, SeeMoreShopping, Smashing Darling, Liberation Prints, We Give to Get, Rock Uniform, MaZi Dance Fitness Center, and Janet Jewelry.

We also received a lovely preview of the TOYOTA i-REAL, TOYOTA’s newest concept personal mobility device. The TOYOTA i-REAL collaboration was established in 2008 with designers Agga B., Anna Fong, Melissa Serpico, and Lidia Wachowska, to create fashions inspired by the i-REAL design and concept. This is an image during the event of a model donning an Evil Kitty dress (designed by Lidia Wachowska) with the i-REAL.

It promises to be a long winter ahead of us in Chicago-land! But when there is such fabulous fashion to be had, we’ll make sure to bundle up for it!

Photos: Aza from Sugar & Spice

Natasha Wilson!

Congratulations, Natasha. Enjoy!! Send us pictures and we’ll post them up.

Check your email for details on how to claim your prize.

Our last Holiday Countdown Giveaway is coming in a few…Check back with us tonight!

I have a Handy Hold-All™ hanging over my closet door right now and I love it! Suddenly my closet isn’t cluttered with giant handbags in every corner. Now that they’re on the door, I’ve gained about 30 sq feet in my closet! A great gift for the girl (like me) who has a handbag addiction.

Kosher Rock Socks- $9.95

Talk about a stocking stuffer!…or a Hanukkah gift! For less than ten bucks, get socks that make a statement, start a conversation or just turn heads. Not your everyday tube sock!

Kitchen Couture’s Timeless Elegance $48.95

A gift for your favorite hostess! Kitchen Couture makes kitchen-duty glamorous! These gorgeous designs are made here in the U.S. by women who know high class. And…for a great price!

Kalvin Kauzbot- $24.99

Kauzbots are all the rage for kids this year. These stuffed robots are perfect for the kid, tween or teen on your list. But the best part is that each kauzbot has a “kauz” that is important to him. This little guy, KALVIN is passionate about helping mothers and their children transition out of homelessness. A portion of the proceeds from each KALVIN Kauzbot sold will go straight to his cause!

Rectangle Key Chain by Lisa Leonard Designs- $48.00

Our sentimental pick! For less than $50, have a special message engraved on sterling silver gift items for the perfect gift from the heart!

Every Little Counts “A Violent Sensual Sensitive Girl” Tee- $32

We love ELC! Designer Amy Snider has created a sexy t-shirt line with attitude. These T’s are perfect for the fashionista on your list or for the woman who has everything. Comfort and style for a great price!

Coin Purse by nJoy Designs- $10.00

nJoy Designs was wildly popular by our readers! And for good reason. These handbags are 100% made in the USA using water-resistant oilcloth. They are easy to clean and look super sleek. Great stocking stuffer for mom!

Beso Handbags- Eve $42.00

We LOVE the style of this “Eve” bag. So chic with a beautiful deep red lining, this handbag goes with most outfits and will be sure to draw attention. Dress it up or down, the “Eve” is definitely our favorite Beso Handbag!

Andy Gersh Coral Necklace- $30

I’ve watch the way this designer presses glass into pendents from his own LA studio. These designs are gorgeous, especially knowing how they’re made. Take my word for it! These are a great deal!

Lizzie Parker Assymetrical Top in Black- $28.00 ON SALE

We first met Lizzie Parker during Portland Fashion Week and we loved her holiday collection! This assymetrical top is part of a previous collection with the same classic elegance Lizzie Parker is known for at a VERY affordable price. (Regular Price: $85.00) Find this piece now on badjoan.com.

Happy Shopping!