As you head to your classes this semester, take a look around campus and you will notice many female students carrying handbags marked by a single letter of the alphabet.
Maria Lyons, the designer of the initial bags, said the idea for the handbags was born a year ago.
“A lot of lines create items using their own logos,” she said. “The initial line is based on the individual carrying the handbag.”
Lyons said when creating the line she was really interested in the idea of personalizing the items for consumers.
“By personalizing the items, you allow the person wearing them to be their own brand,” Lyons said.
Recently featured as one of Oprah Winfrey’s favorite things, the handbags are rapidly becoming a trend — campus and countrywide.
Lyons said Halle Berry, Hilary Duff and Nicole Kidman also carry the initial bags.
Jenny Byrd, a marketing junior, said the initial handbag craze is a simple idea that caught on really fast.
“People like them because the design is simple,” she said. “And after seeing so many complicated designs, it’s time to go back to the basics.”
The bags are such a hot commodity, some shoppers have found the initial bags difficult to locate in department stores.
“I think they are cute, but it’s hard to find letters like R and Z,” said Ruth Chavez, an interior design freshman. “And some of them are too expensive.”
While the handbags now are carried in various department stores, the handbags were first produced at Maria Lyons, Inc. in Los Angeles, Calif.
Lyons said her customized leather handbags are made in the United States in every letter from A-Z and a wide variety of colors.
The majority of Maria Lyons orders are taken online, but some are sold in speciality boutiques around the country.
“Selling them online allows each customer to customize their colors and initials,” she said.
Lyons said the cost of her products range from $48 to $500 and include wallets, photo albums and the ever-popular initial handbag.
Kara Lee, a mass communication sophomore, said the initial handbags may be popular now, but wonders what will come next.
Lyons said the company currently is developing different products.
“We’re experimenting with a lot of tone-on-tone color, evening bags, a flight line especially for travel and a clothing line,” she said.
Lyons said they also are planning on producing handbags with different variations of initials, numbers, and even a line for sororities.
“Each sorority can customize their handbag with their colors and greek letters,” she said.