Mike & Chris Handbags
Husband-and-wife design team Mike and Christine Gonzalez launched their handbag line earlier this year. In 2005, they became a fast success in the fashion business with an edgy, contemporary collection of hoodies under the name Mike & Chris.
“The bag line started off just as accessories for our lookbook shoot,” explained Christine. “People responded so well to them, so we decided to include them in the line. Our main focus is our hoodie line, so we weren’t really thinking about the bags being so sales-driven, which allowed us complete creative freedom.”
The Fall II and Holiday handbag collection possesses some of the same details as the clothing line—luxe fabrics, modern silhouettes, interesting details and unusual colors such as tobacco, olive and concrete. With the exception of the Chester mini-bag, the handbags are on the larger side and fit right in with the big-bag trend. Interior key hooks, cellphone pouches and zipper pockets supply ample opportunity for organization. The innovative Alister Duffle, which is new for Fall II/Holiday, also has two exterior side pockets and a zip-flap pocket that folds over the main compartment.
The target audience is a wide age range—from late teens to mid-40s—of women with an understated chic style. A couple of the styles, such as the Alister, have a unisex look. “The original concept was to create a line that was a little more boyish and masculine, not too many frills,” said Christine. “And of course we want them to be very functional. We want them to represent a similar aesthetic to that of our existing hoodie line.”
Wholesale prices for the bags range from $175 for the Chester mini-bag to $440 for the Alister Duffle. Retailers stocking the handbags include Barneys New York, Ron Herman, American Rag and Shopbop.com. The Boris and Austin bags are among the top-selling styles from Spring and Fall I to make repeat appearances in the latest collection (in new colors). In addition to the bags, Mike&Chris also is adding belts to the accessory line, with three styles in leather and colors similar to the rest of the collection. For sales, contact Lisa Elliot or Amy Dodge at EM Productions, (213) 614-9292. For more information, visit www.mikeandchris.com. —Dena Smolek
