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That Casey Krause’s shop sells handbags is a testament to how female shoppers are crazy for this fashion accessory. See, Krause happens to co-own a boutique-style garden center. Yes, that’s right, a garden center. “They love them, they really do love them,” says Krause,
who helps operate Hillside Garden Center in Binghamton, NY. With the majority of the customers being women, handbags get a really warm reception, she says. No matter your specialty store niche, handbags are
indeed a product worth selling, industry experts say. “From a practical point of view, women—all women—carry lots of things. Therefore a handbag comes in handy as a convenient way to lug your stuff around,” says Shakira Polite, creative director and lead stylist for Colin Megaro, a West Hollywood, CA-based fashion styling company that offers services such as assisted and personal shopping, closet “editing” and celebrity styling. “Handbags also are a must-have for women because they complete any ensemble.” From totes and satchels, to clutches and wristlets, handbags come in numerous sizes and sell as much for their style and beauty as they do for their functionality. Today’s trends point to even more versatility (think cross- body bags in an assortment of sizes to fi t any body type) and customization (like build-your-own bags). “It’s like the last piece to a puzzle, the one that pulls everything together,” Polite says. “Accessories, most importantly the handbag, have the power to drastically change any look. You can take your favorite little black dress from the offi ce to cocktails just by swapping your satchel for a sparkly clutch.”
Versatility works Victorian Heart, a Kirbyville, MO-based handbag manufacturer, understands this well. “It’s so much easier to buy and change your handbag than it is to change your entire wardrobe,” says Keshia Baxter, marketing manager. “It’s an easier way to incorporate that hot new tone or hue instead of changing your clothes.” Convertible handbags, or bags that shoppers can create themselves because there are interchangeable pieces, are enticing, says Cindy Fedish, owner of Country Additions Gift Shop in Binghamton, NY. The store sells M-I-S handbags, which do very well for Fedish. “I love the bags because you can add on the different bottoms and change the handles and the fl aps,” Fedish says. “You don’t have to change your entire purse to get a different look. You can just add a fl ap, and it changes the total look of your purse without a whole new purse. It’s very economical.” Fedish has bought these handbag pieces herself, for
their versatility and price point. Country Additions sells the interchangeable components for $10 to $20 a piece. To best explain how these handbags work, the shop displays a poster showing the “build-a-handbag” process, and plays a how-to video throughout the day.
GiftShopMag.com Winter 2012 n GIFT SHOP 99
reBecca raY deSignS
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