For the past eight years, the Independent Handbags Designer Award has been providing an effective and promoting platform to the some extremely creative and talented handbags’ designers, who otherwise get fewer opportunities to showcase their collections in mainstream fashion shows. Founded by Emily Blumenthal, the eighth annual Independent Handbags Designer Award took place on the 18th of June in New York City.
The contest included as many as 1,500 participants from all over the world, out of whom 30 were shortlisted and divided into categories of five. Recruited by a jury which included Rafe Totengco, Deborah Lloyd of Kate Spade, Kenneth Cole, Carlos Falchi, Erica Russo of Bloomingdale’s, Lauren Bush Lauren and Suesan Falkner of Guess, the winners were entitled to get featured in the September issue of InStyle magazine. Furthermore, the winner of the Best Handbag in Over Style and Award got the marvellous opportunity to sell his/her respective collection in selective Bloomingdale’s markets, during the upcoming season.
Among other awardees, Morgan Richards won in the category of the ‘Optitex Best Student Made Handbag’, while Gili Rozin Tamam won for the ‘Bernina Best Handmade Handbag’, and Monica Frisbie bagged the ‘FEED Most Socially Responsible Handbag’ award.
