A 2003 article in the Chicago Tribune noted handbag sales growing at a rate of seven percent per year. The article also pointed to the example of former fashion editor Kate Spade, who took her handbag design business from a home-based effort to a $70-million enterprise in just a few years.

People get into handbag design for various reasons. Joseph Wu was intrigued by how many otherwise stylish women he saw on the streets carrying manly briefcases. After a lot of research, he launched his own company that designs women's business handbags.

Brandi Shigley knew from a very early age that she loved handbags. In second grade, she used to cut up scraps of paper to make her designs. "So what if the handles were glued together with Elmer's...glue? And so what if the polka dots sometimes rubbed off on to your clothes?"

In 1999, Shigley taught herself to sew and decided to try to sell some of her bags at a pool party. "I neatly strung them throughout [the] house and within a couple of hours, I had sold all of them. I even had people requesting custom designed bags. I thought to myself, 'Hark! I might be on to something!'"

But just what does it take to make it in this field?

Designer Jessica Alpert-Goldman says it's a mix of design and business know-how. She feels a designer should not just be able to come up with pretty concepts, but also be able to market and produce their designs.

Shigley says it takes passion and drive. "It doesn't matter what kind of business that you want to start. As long as you have these two things, you can do anything!"

She adds that if you want to run the business yourself, you'll need to study marketing, sales and accounting.

Victoria Horner, who started her handbag business in 1997, says the key ingredients are "inspiration, creativity, dedication, adaptability, familiarity with your market."

She also believes that keeping good records, being organized and having basic common sense business abilities are very important.

Is it realistic to expect to make a living through handbag design? "It's as realistic as you want to make it," says Shigley. "I'm a firm believer in turning dreams to reality and working hard to fulfill your dreams."

Keep in mind that this is a competitive business. Alpert-Goldman says your ideas must always be fresh and your marketing efforts continuous.

"I don't design based on what others are doing," says Shigley. "I design because of what I am feeling and experiencing. I don't look at creating as competitive. I don't create because of how much money I will make. I think that competition comes into play when people are thinking about bringing in money."

The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) says a large percentage of fashion designers are self-employed. This field is expected to grow at an average rate through 2012.

"It's a wonderful thing to be doing what I love to do," says Shigley. "I am challenged and grow and experience life every day through my creations."

Net Sites

Occupational Outlook Handbook
For more information related to this field, see Fashion Designers in the OOH
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos291.htm

About Handbags
Lots of info
http://fashion.about.com/od/handbags/

Designers A to Z
A long list of designers, websites and profiles
http://fashion.about.com/od/designersaz/Designers_A_to_Z.htm