I have the bug.  Always have.  Anyone else who has the bug can recognize it.  Growing up in New Jersey all it took was a drive past a field of ponies and I had my head out the window and was begging my parents to PULL OVER.  I started riding when I was just 6 years old; my first horse show was also the day of my First Holy Communion.  I made it to both.  One of the side effects of choosing to spend my time around horses was an early and deep appreciation for fine leather. The Bridle leathers used on well, bridles; the beautiful vegetable tanned cowhides used to craft saddles.  The smell, the feel, the way it wears in.   When I chose a career in fashion, little did I know that I would end up working as a buyer in Handbags.  All the smells and wonderful memories of time spent at the barn came rushing back.  As my career evolved into design and manufacturing, I always had a desire to create my own brand using the finest vegetable tanned leather from Italy.  Multi-generational family owned tanneries understood the nuances of the raw materials they'd transform into rich, supple hides that would become beautiful handbags.   As I became a mother, I was fortunate to have a daughter who was born with the bug.  I encouraged her to pursue this passion and throughout her high school years we spent almost every weekend at horse shows.  I look back on those weekends together, up at dawn and leaving the showgrounds at sundown, as some of the best years of my life and I know she would say the same.   As we continue to build our line, you will continue to see our equestrian heritage come through.  Whether you have the bug or not, I do hope you will love the end result.