Best friends since college Kamola Taflan and Krasimira Georgieva, after a decade working in finance, decided to pursue their shared passion and collaborate on their first handbag collection, which launched under the name of Kristina George in 2014. Kamola and Krasimira may not have a fashion background – a fact that made our discovery even more exciting – but they have a clear understanding of what modern women want from their staple everyday accessory: premium quality, functionality and unique style. We caught up with Kristina George duo to discuss their debut collection and establishing their company within the fiercely competitive handbag industry.
Why did you decide to collaborate and why did you choose handbags?
We have been best friends since college, and it was natural for us to collaborate as we have a similar taste and background. When the time was right, we started thinking of ideas, and handbags were our number one choice. We think of a beautifully crafted handbag as a statement piece that reflects a woman’s fashion sense and personality. When the handbag is made of high-quality materials and its design is timeless, it is an investment that will last and will be in style for years.
Do you have a fashion background? What was the trickiest part of setting up your line?
No, we actually do not have any fashion background. Both of us have had successful careers in investment management and banking industry. Our passion for designing combined with the business acumen helped us launch Kristina George.
While every step of our journey has been challenging, the trickiest part of the process was manufacturing. We had to work day and night to communicate our ideas to the manufacturers, come up with the correct measurements, select the right leather and trending colors as well as design custom-made accessories for each handbag. Different time zones and languages were additional hurdles. It was a definitely fun but very meticulous process. We always reminded ourselves to stop and smell the roses along the way.
What is your main source of inspiration?
Our inspiration comes from our international background and travels. We traveled and lived in different countries and were inspired by intricate architectures around the world. For our debut collection, we went with the structural and clean lines, symmetry and a touch of glamour.
How did you choose the silhouettes you will include in your collections?
Our goal was to create a luxurious, bold and versatile collection with superior quality. We wanted to offer a variety of handbags for every occasion from day to night. The silhouettes were revised many times in the process due to the complexity of the intricate handmade aspects such as the three layered hand-cut crystals featured on two of the Kristina George clutches and structural hand-carved prisms covered with a thin layer of leather mounted on top of the Izabelle top handles. We believe we were able to meet our goal with this collection.
What are the challenges of breaking into the handbag industry?
As with any industry you will always have competition. There are well-established and recognized fashion brands, and then there are emerging brands that must work extra hard to stand out with their creative, unique and innovative designs, excellent quality materials and a story customers can relate to. Raising brand awareness, providing interesting and creative media content and growing your followers and customer base is very challenging. It could only take one shot to become recognized, but getting to that point requires dedication, perseverance and strong network.
What are the elements a newly-launched product needs to have to compete with the established mega-brands?
Creative and attractive designs, exceptional quality, best customer service and a personal touch. Every single one of our handbags is delivered in a luxurious gift box tied with a silk ribbon and a handwritten note. That is our way of letting customers know that we value their trust in Kristina George brand.
How are Kristina George handbags designed to be recognized? Do you have a signature?
All of our handbags stand out with their bold designs and architectural elements.
Our signature look in the debut collection is focused on symmetry and clean lines.
Where would you like to stand in the handbags market?
We would like to keep growing our customer base and continue designing and producing beautiful handbags with the hope of becoming a well-recognized brand sold throughout established boutiques and department stores worldwide.
What are you currently working on?
There are several exciting projects we are currently working on, which we will be able to reveal in the upcoming months. We are also working on adding new designs and bold colors and introducing small accessories line for the next seasons.
www.kristinageorge.com
Images © Kristina George
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