Emily Cho is a gorgeous, unique handbag line started out of NYC in 2010 by Emily Gellis and SJ Cho. Both ladies bring together two unique styles stemming out of their truly unique backgrounds to create truly special peices. SJ grew up in South Korea and studied oriental painting. The other half of the duo, Emily is a native New Yorker and has previously worked as a buying for InterMix.
Emily Cho is a great handbag line with bags that can be carried around at any time in the day. What I love about this brand is that no one piece looks the same. There is no risk of finding another brand that looks similar. They pay attention to detail and create gorgeous shapes.
So, without further ado I give you the ladies behind Emily Cho...
SE: What factors influenced your decision to design handbags?
We saw a
void in the contemporary handbag market - fashionable, genuine, Italian
leather bags either super high end or low end and poor quality. So, we
went to italy and found the best handbag factory (family owned) and
matched the most amazing skins. All of our bags are strategically priced
under $700.
SE: How do your different background influence your designs?
We
studied handbags together - we are truly a unique Korean/American
duo. We're both trained in clothing, merchandising, buying and design.
Sj is abstract, she is inspired by underwater sea creatures. I'm more
practical - I know what sells. I'm the money maker, she's creative and
design.
SE: Who is your favorite designer, dead or alive?
SJ: Margiela/McQueen
Emily: Balmain/Alexander Wang
SE: What is a women’s purse mean to you? Decoration? Necessity?
Both
- a woman holds her bag close to her heart. It has all her necessities
and secrets. Its a huge way to express yourself. Our bags fit your stuff
but they are undoubtedly statement pieces and outfit makers.
SE: What advice would you give young women wanting to start their own apparel or handbag line?
Don't
let dreams be just dreams. This is a difficult business but there is
room for everyone, if you have a unique quality product that's well
priced. Be authentic! People appreciate hard work. Never give up - if
you know what you want to achieve, and you stay focused, you can
accomplish anything. Dream big and believe.
SE: What items are ALWAYS in your handbag?
Lipgloss, ipod, blackberry, gum!
SE: What inspires your designs?
Everything- people we see, architecture, animals, insects, you name it. The world is our oyster.
I saw you recently experimented with spray paint on your bags, (looks so fun!) how else are Emily Cho bags unique?
We
used italian leather skins, cut by hand, to resemble (look and feel)
exotics - they look real but cost 1/5th of the price. Handmade in Italy
gives us a huge quality advantage over our competitors.
SE: A girl should always have ______________ in her closet.
An emily cho bag
SE: What are the future goals for Emily Cho?
We
are working on a shoe line and we have an entire clothing line
designed. Our ultimate goal is to build an affordable fashion empire -
we aspire to be the next DVF or Tory Burch.
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