FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Media Contact: Katie Siff/Nicola Parish Parish Public Relations (718) 369-7760
LOULOUBELLE BAGS DEBUTS FALL/WINTER 2013 COLLECTION IN THE UNITED STATES New York, NY- May 2012 - Dublin native Louise O’Leary debuts her new Fall/Winter 2013 collection of limited edition leather bags in the US this month under the brand Louloubelle Bags. O’Leary’s interest in fashion began while studying Interior Design in her native Ireland. She then moved to Boston, MA to attend the School of Fashion Design on Boston’s famous Newbury Street. She graduated in 2002 and returned to Ireland to launch her first collection of handbags. The small collection of silk, cotton, and linen bags were immediately picked up by boutiques in both Dublin and London, and were noted for their excellent craftsmanship, and keen sense of functional style. As demand grew and the needs of the business changed, Louise spent 2 years developing what is now LouLouBelle Bags, and in 2009 launched her first collection of expertly crafted leather bags. LouLouBelle Bags is now a brand born of the symbiotic relationship of exclusive style and sensibility. O’ Leary launched the brand in the United States with her Spring/Summer 2012 collection featuring the Lola $605, Lola Mini $535, LouLou $445, BeBe $575, and Hazel $485 (a bag made in tribute to the designer’s horse that she rescued). LouLouBelle Bags has been featured in the pages of Vogue, Grazia, Drapers and was touted as a ‘one to watch’ in the December 2011 issue of Elle Magazine in the US. For fall/winter 2013, the designer will add new shapes: Emmie and MiMi, and the Poppy iPad case. The new color palette will feature grey, green, tan, mushroom, navy, and splashes of blue, pink, and purple Tuscan leathers. This season, O’Leary and her sister Emmie (printed textile designer) are also teaming up to debut a limited edition line of cheeky hand-printed canvas totes under the name Me & Emmie by Louloubelle Bags (retailing for $95-$125). The inspiration for the new collection comes from nature and her love of all things vintage, with colors inspired by the seasons’ changing palette. O’Leary’s respect for the natural world fuels the influence of her design; the LouLou and BeBe bags are each adorned with her signature design piece: beautiful brass antlers. (Her husband wouldn’t allow her to have antlers in the house, so she put them on her bags instead!) The Lola and Poppy designs are named after her dogs, and the Hazel after her horse, all of who enjoy life on her 400-acre farm in the Irish countryside. The current and future collections of LouLouBelle Bags all stem from the desire to create a high-end fashion product without the high cost to the environment. In order to maintain the eco-friendly, exclusive ethos of the brand, LouLouBelle Bags are made from the finest quality
materials; ethically-sourced, vegetable tanned Tuscan leathers crafted by hand in Ireland. Each piece is limited edition, with only 100 of each style made per season. Each LouLouBelle bag is constructed with high-quality, Italian brass hardware, comes beautifully lined with interior leather-made label, and includes interior zip pockets for convenient storage. Each piece is truly a beautifully crafted work of art and made to last a lifetime. For further information on LouLouBelle Bags, or to request samples or high-res images, please contact Katie Siff or Nicola Parish at Parish Public Relations at (718) 369.7760 or via email at katie@parishpr.com or nicola@parishpr.com.
Louise O Leary Bio
Louise O Leary, Designer and Founder of LouLouBelle Bags studied Interior Design in her native Ireland before going on to study Fashion Design in Boston MA. On her return to Ireland in 2004, Louise started a small collection of silk, cotton and linen bags that were sold in Cows Lane Fashion Market in Dublin. Her eye for detail and classic craftsmanship soon set her apart and the handcrafted bags were stocked in over 20 boutiques including The Design Centre Dublin, and London Boutique Coco Ribbon. The label began to win press in the Irish media, and demand for the bags grew. Handcrafting each bag was no longer viable and outsourcing the production of the bags became the only option. Maintaining the quality and limited edition ethos of the label became paramount, and Louise spent 2 years meeting with manufacturers and further developing the label. She soon re-launched in S/S 2009 with LouLoubelle Bags, a label that was able to meet demand, but also maintain its unique style and exclusivity. Louise incorporates her sweet nature and fun-loving personality into her designs, and names each of her pieces after her loved ones‌ including pets! All bags are now produced in Ireland using traditional techniques from Tuscan leather and remain limited edition pieces with only 100 of each style made every season. Louise is committed to ethical practice at all stages of production, while creating beautiful covetable bags for fans across the globe.
Autumn/Winter 12-13
Autumn/Winter 12-13
LouLou - Made with genuine Tuscan leather - Handmade brass antler strap for holding - Italian made hardware - Rolls out - Two internal zip pockets - Leather and cotton lined - Unbleached cotton dust bag for storage - 30cm x 15cm
Hazel - -
Made with genuine Tuscan leather Italian made hardware Internal phone and zip pocket Cotton lined Unbleached cotton dust bag for storage Double zip closure Plaited leather shoulder strap 52cm X 36cm
Lola - Made with genuine Tuscan leather - Can be worn two ways - Plaited leather handles - Italian made hardware - Internal phone and zip pocket - Cotton lined - Unbleached cotton dust bag for storage - Double zip closure - Detachable, adjustable leather shoulder strap - Big enough to use as an overnight bag - 41cm x 34cm
Lola Mini - Classic Lola 20% smaller - Made with genuine Tuscan leather - Can be worn two ways - Italian made brass hardware - Plaited leather handles - Internal phone and zip pocket - Cotton lined - Unbleached cotton dust bag for storage - Zip closure
Emmie - Made with genuine Tuscan leather - Handmade brass antler detail - Internal phone and zip pocket - Cotton lined - Unbleached cotton dust bag for storage - Zip closure - Detachable,adjustable leather shoulder strap - 29cm x 26cm
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MiMi - Made with genuine Tuscan leather - External Zip Pocket - Internal phone and zip pocket - Cotton lined - Unbleached cotton dust bag for storage - Zip closure - 44cm x 32cm
BeBe - Made with genuine Tuscan leather - Handmade brass antler - Italian made hardware - Internal phone and zip pocket - Cotton lined - Unbleached cotton dust bag for storage - Snap closure - Leather & Chain shoulder strap. - 26cm x 24cm
Me&Emmie Me&Emmie is a line of limited edition, hand-printed totes, shoppers & purses. It is a collaboration between Louise and her sister Emer, who is also a printed textile designer. The spin-off collection is a twist on expressions containing the word “bag” that the sisters use in everyday conversation. The bags also feature printed antler designs which are a signature feature of the LouLouBelle Bags Collection. All of the Me&Emmie bags are made of cotton canvas with leather trim. Each bag has been hand-printed in Ireland by Emer and hand-sewn by Louise and several other helpers including “Mum”.
Me&Emmie
Autumn/Winter 12-13
Price List Style
Number
Wholesale €
Wholesale $
RRP $
LouLou Clutch
H13001
€154
$202
$445
BeBe Satchel
H13002
€200
$263
$575
Lola Holdall
H13003
€211
$277
$605
Lola Mini
H13004
€186
$244
$535
Hazel
H13005
€168
$220
$485
Me & Emmie
Limited Edition
Bag - Shopper
H13006
€32
$42
$95
Bag - Tote
H13007
€43
$56
$125
Bag - Purse
H13008
€19
$25
$55
Prices are landed cost Conversion to date correct as of 05/04/2012 on XE.com Invoice conversion will be adjusted at time of order 2.2 mark up used for rrp
Recent Press
Contact
Sales: louise@louloubellebags.com
Press US: katie@parishpr.com
Press Europe: emily@twotonepr.com
www.louloubellebags.com