Handbag Designer 101 honors handbag & shoe excellence

25 May '09

6 min read

Handbag Designer 101, the handbag designer resource, announces the long awaited results of the finalists for the Independent Handbag Designer Awards Now with Shoes. Over 600 applications were received from around the world ranging with diverse backgrounds from North Dakota to Mongolia to Finland.

The Independent Handbag Designer Awards is the only design competition of its kind in the world for handbag designers to receive credibility and recognition to stand out in today's competitive accessory market. The winners will be announced on June 17th at the IHDA event at the New York Historical Society.

"These 35 designers whether they are established or emerging, share a common passion, commitment and creativity to make a unique handbag while being role-models for entrepreneurship and small business," says Emily Blumenthal, founder of Handbag Designer 101 and the Independent Handbag Designer Awards.

"Each designer is well deserved in their recognition for in each category of Best Student-Made Handbag, Best Handmade Handbag, Most-Socially Responsible Handbag, Best Green Handbag, Best Use of Swarovski Crystallized Elements, Best Show in Overall Style and Design and Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design."

These finalists were chosen by a preliminary judging panel of Handbag Designer 101. A Judging Panel consisting of Famed Handbag Designer and 2007 IHDA Lifetime Achievement Recipient of 2007, Carlos Falchi, Lisa Smilor (Associate Director for the Council of Fashion Designers of America: CFDA), Lincoln Moore, (SVP DMM, Accessories, Saks Fifth Avenue), Sam Edelman (CEO of Sam Edelman), Stephan Toljan, (CCB Vice President Market Management of Swarovski), Devi Kroell (CEO & CCO for Devi Kroell), Christina Polychroni, (Director of Marketing for Korres Natural Products), Katie Boertman (Trade Marketing Manager for Singer Sewing Company), Tina Aldatz (President of Foot Petals), Meghan Cleary (Miss Meghan: America's Shoe Expert) and Julia Poteat (Assistant Professor of Fashion Methods for Parsons The New School for Design) will decide who has the "Top Handbag and Shoe Design" and select a winner from each respective category. These finalists, whose bags and shoes all must be made under their own label, representing a wide range of styles and designs, in each category are:

Best Student Made Handbag - These finalists' bags are students who have successfully started their lines while still in school. This award will be presented by Devi Kroell, CEO & CCO for Devi Kroell.
• Bridget Duffy: Bridget Duffy Originals, Philadelphia Univeristy
• Carmen Talavera: Carmen Talavera, Mercy Jackes College
• Rachel Esswood: Rachel Esswood, Cordwainers at London College of Fashion
• Daisy Ho: Hodaze, London College of Fashion
• Susan Jina Lee: Movement, Parsons The New School for Design

Best Handmade Handbag - These finalists' must be sewn, crocheted, knitted where the design themselves is making their bag by hand or machine. This award will be presented by Katie Boertman, Trade Marketing Manager for the Singer Sewing Company.

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