Nicole D’Andrea has dated some men she’d like to forget. There was Mr. Player, Mr. Stalker and Mr. Arrogant, to name a few.
But instead of banishing them from memory, the Smithfield accessories designer is getting revenge by naming handbags after them.
“Everyone has an ex that they can relate one of the bags to,” D’Andrea said. “I just want girls to have fun with it.”
D’Andrea’s eponymous line offers 11 Italian leather handbag designs. Each comes in several hues, from classic camel to traffic-light yellow.
The bags’ names are related to their form and function. Mr. One-Nighter, for instance, is a small purse dressed up with a leather-weaved chain strap — ideal for a night out. Mr. Arrogant is a carryall that can fit a few of the smaller bags inside of it. A design covered with dozens of metal spikes is called Mr. Never Again.
D’Andrea, 32, works with a Los Angeles factory to produce the bags. The smaller designs are crafted out of soft lambskin, while the larger ones are made out of more durable cowhide.
She starts with a sketch and then works with the manufacturer to perfect the design. “It’s really hands-on,” she said. “I love ripping things apart.”
D’Andrea’s background includes attending the International Academy of Design & Technology in Chicago, furthering her studies in accessories design in Milan, and spending a few years working for brands including BCBG and LD Tuttle in New York and Los Angeles.
Inspired by her grandfather, who owned a cobbler shop in Johnston, D’Andrea wanted to return to her Rhode Island roots and start a family-run business. She hired her brother, Steven D’Andrea, as chief operating officer, and about three years ago they launched the brand.
“It’s a team effort,” Steven D’Andrea said. “She’ll come to me with a design and we’ll work backwards to make the cost justify the retail price.”
D’Andrea Handbags are currently available in about 20 stores throughout the country, online (dandreahandbags.com) and locally at Jackie’s Loft in Bristol. She typically introduces three new designs each season (spring and fall), and is working on developing shoes and men’s wallets.
“We might branch out and do the Misses Collection with men’s accessories,” D’Andrea said.
Some of the ex-boyfriends D’Andrea is still friends with have asked which bag is named after them.
“But I never tell,” she said.
D’Andrea Handbags range in price from $110-$525. For more information, go to dandreahandbags.com[1] .
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