Beyond the Monogram: The Noughties Nostalgia Continues

By popular demand, I present to you Part 2: The It Bag Designers of the 2000s. Because - Wow. Wow. Wow. The response from the last Substack, Beyond the Monogram: 10 Indie Handbags That Ruled the 2000s, was exciting for me, and frankly, not surprising. It’s nice to know I wasn’t the only one and the fact a bag from the 2000s can be called inapproately vintage is laughable but that’s the reality now.

One big takeaway: how much leather was used on each bag. If you scan the last post and the bags below, you will see the amount of soft and distressed leather - it’s a wonder why there were so many leather suppliers, and why their retail shops were booming and always crowded with new designers. I digress…

I had several private messages that I missed some key talent and bags, so as the voice of the independent designer, I felt it was important to continue to give credit where credit is due. See below the next top 10, and please share your handbag memories. I know the designers would enjoy the love after all of the years they put into creating such monumental brands. This was a golden era for handbags, “as seen in,” and scoring editorial in Lucky Magazine.

• Treesje — The “It Bag”: The Asher

  ○ The Founders: Laura Darrah and Sheila Nazarian. They are no longer part of the business. After massive celebrity placement with anyone who was anyone, scaling an independent line without private-equity safety nets caught up with them.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. The founders quietly ceased production and dissolved the label in the early 2010s. However, the duo didn't leave the accessories space—they continued to work together as fashion entrepreneurs, launching subsequent contemporary handbag lines such as Joelle Hawkens and She + Lo.

• Gustto — The “It Bag”: The Andrea

  ○ The Founder: Agathe Planchon. She is no longer part of the business, having entirely self-funded the Southern California-based brand through its massive editorial and paparazzi peak, where it became a core fixture at Barneys and Bendel.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. The brand shuttered in the early 2010s, post-recession, as independent production and leather import overheads became unsustainable without a private equity cushion.

• Deux Lux — The “It Bag”: Felix Duffel

  ○ The Founders: Sara Naghedi and her mother, Fany Naghedi. Sara took everything she learned about the market from the original line’s run to evolve her business.

  ○ Where it is today: Pivoted & Rebranded. While the original Deux Lux line eventually ceased production, founder Sara Naghedi pivoted and launched NAGHEDI in 2016, which has since become a massive success in high-end contemporary retail.

  

• Linea Pelle — The “It Bag”: The Dylan Tote

  ○ The Founders: Mira and Wynn Katz. They transitioned the brand away from its original mid-2000s structure to survive changing retail landscapes.

  ○ Where it is today: Still in business. While they initially navigated heavy headwinds from department stores in the 2010s, the brand survived by shifting to a lean private-label design house for national retailers and adopting a direct-to-consumer digital model.

  

• C. C. Skye — The “It Bag”: The Lucy Bag

  ○ The Founder: CC Skye. She is no longer part of the fashion business, having shifted her creative focus away from the grueling retail calendar after a massive decade-long run as a staple at a premium contemporary department store and boutique.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. The brand quietly wound down its massive wholesale operation in the 2010s. Founder CC Skye went on to study spiritual psychology and herbalism, officially launching a luxury plant-medicine and farm-to-bottle wellness atelier called The WYLDER 33.

  

• Lauren Merkin — The “It Bag”: The Eve Clutch

  ○ The Founder: Lauren Merkin. She is no longer part of the business. Operating as a completely self-funded, independent venture designed and produced right in New York City, she achieved massive shelf space at both Barneys and Henri Bendel.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. The label quietly wrapped up production and closed its doors in 2015 as consumer habits shifted away from boutique evening-specific accessories.

• Sang A — The “It Bag”: The River Tote

  ○ The Founder: Sang A Im-Propp. She remains fully involved, successfully retaining full independent control over her brand. After moving to NYC and graduating from Parsons, the former South Korean pop star launched her namesake label in 2006 and quickly joined the CFDA in 2010.

  ○ Where it is today: Still in business. She continues to steer her namesake brand from New York, operating independently while expanding her signature edgy-luxury aesthetic into fine jewelry.

• Big Buddha — The “It Bag”: The Fringe Hobo

  ○ The Founder: Jeremy Bassan. He is no longer part of the business. Founded in 2003 by Bassan from his Santa Barbara home, the label became an affordable fashion juggernaut before being officially acquired by the retail giant Steve Madden in 2010.

  ○ Where it is today: Acquired & Transitioned. Bassan continued to steer operations through 2013 before fully exiting the fashion space to focus on boutique real estate investment, while the brand was eventually phased out of standalone production as consumer habits shifted.

• Devi Kroell — The “It Bag”: The Python Large Hobo

  ○ The Founder: Devi Kroell. She is no longer part of the business. After launching in New York, the brand became the absolute holy grail of the Barneys accessory floor, culminating in Kroell winning the CFDA Perry Ellis Award for Accessory Design in 2006.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. Following an iconic Target designer collaboration in 2009 and subsequent corporate acquisitions, the original luxury house closed its high-end flagship operations, though vintage pieces remain highly prized collector items online.

  

• Tylie Malibu — The “It Bag”: The Nomad Hobo

  ○ The Founder: Lisa Tylie Izad. She is no longer part of the business. Launched out of her parents’ home before moving to downtown LA’s Art District, she built the line into a massive cult obsession and a certified bestseller on the contemporary floor at Henri Bendel and trendsetting spots like Kitson.

  ○ Where it is today: Out of business. The brand wrapped up wholesale production in the 2010s, and Lisa transitioned into custom wardrobe and design styling for prominent Hollywood names.

  

  Also, don’t forget to tune in to the Handbag Designer 101 Podcast & grow your brand with the Handbag Designer 101 Masterclass today.