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| Nazare satchel, red patent croc leather, $374 |
Dover tote, gold suede & black patent leather, $428 |
Nazare satchel, two-toned brown boa embossed leather, $492 |
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| My birthday in 2007 marked the conception of Marissa
Designs and the brand name Marissa del Rosario. I’ve always had the desire for
fashion & design as a career but I never really pursued it because of my
interest & the stability offered in (surgical) nursing profession. A few fashion
design classes at a local college in ’02 revived this interest but the timing
was not quite right. Then when my schedule slowed down in ‘07, I decided to go
out on a limb and started my handbag business. Currently, I have finished the
first collection with three different styles of different sizes and added
clutches & wristlets. This way, I can cover a range of price points as well as
styles for a variety of women with different needs and what not.
As for the handbag material, I chose leather because of its durability and
its tactility. I also like to mix different textures of leather in my designs
because together they create beauty on a different level. As I put that mixture
to “package” a design, it is only then do I feel that a unique and timeless
piece is complete. So far, I have used suede with embossed leather calfskin,
suede with patent leather and patent embossed calfskin. An interesting tidbit
about my collection is that I use names of places that I have visited or ate at.
It helps give meaning to each and every design that I create. My inspiration
comes from a variety of sources—fashion magazines to man-made and natural
landscapes. My target market is the fashionable, career-minded, family-minded
women who appreciate beautiful, quality handbags.
A nightmare story that involved the manufacturing phase taught me some
valuable lessons. When dealing with a very busy manufacturer, it is good to have
all your materials, hardware, etc. shipped together and labeled. The first order
took double the time it’s supposed to take. But organization, experience and a
positive outlook will cut this time in half the next go around. It is also good
to have two manufacturers to help with delays, unforeseen or not.
It is rewarding to see a drawing turn into a 3D arm candy and even more
rewarding, on an arm of a friend! But the most rewarding experience is when I
receive valuable help & advice from fellow design entrepreneurs and artisans
I’ve met along the way. Fashion is a tough business to be in especially during
the recession but the camaraderie that I’ve experienced makes it all worthwhile!
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What is your name? |
Marissa Gomes |
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Where are you from? |
Manila, Philippines |
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Where do you live now? |
San Jose, California |
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How old are you? |
44 |
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Do you have a design background? |
A little... |
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Do you still have a day job? |
Yes. |
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What year were your bags born? |
2008 |
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Bag brand name: |
Marisa Designs |
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What is their retail price range? |
$358 - $492 |
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Where can a shopper buy your bags? |
www.marissadesigns.com |
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For more information, contact: |
www.marissadesigns.com |
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Designer Archive:
| More Designers:
January 05, 2009 - Marissa Designs - Marissa Gomes January 02, 2009 - Bari J. - Bari J. Ackerman December 31, 2008 - Nitro*A*gogo! - Leeza M. Diehl December 29, 2008 - GIULIO - Julio Irving December 26, 2008 - Liz Shaw Design - Liz Shaw December 24, 2008 - Neiko Designs - Amanda and Lien Truong December 22, 2008 - makeda collection nyc - Makeda Amha December 19, 2008 - Naturally Knotty - Jasmine Fullman December 17, 2008 - Zaicaner for Creollus - Zaicaner December 15, 2008 - VIANOVA - Dalit Rosenfeld December 11, 2008 - Meli' Melo' - Melissa Del Bono December 10, 2008 - ZEFANYA - Yenny Widjaja December 08, 2008 - Belle Pour La Vie - Yvette Estime December 05, 2008 - stripykat - Katie Brown December 03, 2008 - ç a r n c e - Chance Jackson December 01, 2008 - Holly Surya - Holly Surya November 28, 2008 - Luma - Lucia Madueño November 26, 2008 - Klutch - Victoria Selano & Sonia Pinto November 24, 2008 - Her Majesty's Power Handbag - Princess Fumi Ogunleye November 21, 2008 - LaLucca - Laura Pimentel November 19, 2008 - J&P Yoga - Jennifer Porter November 17, 2008 - KAIA PETERKA - Kaia Peterka November 14, 2008 - Pallina Designs - Amanda Dick November 12, 2008 - Danielle Teylor - Danielle Teylor November 10, 2008 - della - Della Murphy Ruston |
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