Holiday Highlight: Kasia Dietz Bags
I am thrilled to present you with my first Holiday Highlight entrepreneur, Kasia of Kasia Dietz bags. As I mentioned when I introduced the idea of supporting small business owners for Small Business Saturday, I am re-focusing my usual holiday giveaways activities and shifting attention to supporting some of my favorite small business owners who all happen to be friends, family, or faithful blog readers.
I can't think of anyone better to start with than Kasia, who exactly one year ago today launched her business in Paris! Happy Anniversary Kasia!
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Kasia and I have been blogging friends for quite a while and I was so lucky to meet her in Paris in October of 2010. She has been regularly featured in many Saturday Sixes as well as guest posts here and there. I gave away one of her bags last year during the holidays and knew I wanted to repeat the same and continue to support her business.
Oddly enough I had never interviewed Kasia about her business and I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight Kasia, her business, and her products. She graciously agreed to answer some of my questions:
[MWA]: I know this is your second time around for your bag business, what inspired you the first time around, and how about the second?
[Kasia]: I started designing bags, (beginning with hand-painted collections inspired by my mom's 1970's designs) several years ago while working in advertising, to fulfill myself creatively. It was a side project that kept me inspired and in very little time the bags were selling in NY and LA boutiques as well as in Tokyo, where they were in high demand. (I was even interviewed by the Japanese press!)
All of this, of course, inspired me to continue pursuing my designing but my career became more demanding and I had to put my designing dreams on hold. Until Paris. I was immensely inspired by this fashion capital and finally had the time to devote to my business.
I set to work and through getting to know the city and its people while learning the language and culture, I designed new collections, including the hand-printed Paris Collection. Et voila! I re-launched my business.
[MWA]: Your collections have two personalities, one that celebrates Paris and one that focuses on nature – what is your thought process there?
[Kasia]: I've always been drawn to minimalism in art and design, and where better to discover this than in nature. Some of the most simple and beautiful design comes from nature's elements, thus my desire was to create bags that represent this purity of beauty.
My Paris collection too is minimalist in design yet appeals to those who love Paris. These bags can equally speak to an individual's personality, stating where they live or which part of Paris they prefer. In addition, the reversibility element creates a playfulness mixed with sophistication.
[MWA]: Paris is no doubt one of THE fashion capitals of the world, did you feel any pressure bringing your business there?
[Kasia]: Staying in line with my design aesthetic and knowing that Parisiens are trendy yet timeless, I knew to keep my bags simple, unique, and elegant.
As for finding success in this fashion capital, it certainly takes time to establish yourself in a city like Paris, but little by little I'm making my way, as I navigate locally with a global view. And always, I try to stay positive.
[MWA]: What do you love most about the creative process?
[Kasia]: When designing new collections, I have an emotional reaction to certain colors and fabrics. I allow this instinctual feeling to dictate. As for my hand-painted bags, it's quite a lengthy process with lots of ideas circling a specific theme.
What I love most is creating the final designs, with ink on canvas, and watching my ideas come to life. Without a doubt a creative high!
[MWA]: How are your bags distributed?
[Kasia}: In addition to selling my handbags via my online shop, they are sold in several multi-brand online shops featuring independent designers, including Swelle Boutique and Not On The High Street in the UK and Parisien Salon and Laure Nell in the US.
I am also selling locally in select Paris boutiques and most recently at my favorite (and most exclusive) Paris department store Le Bon Marché which is a great honor!
Wow! That is fabulous news, congrats Kasia!
Blogging bud, Lindsey of Lost in Cheeseland also did a lovely little write-up on Kasia in her Franco File Friday as well as a Bitch Buzz post, check it out to learn more about this fashion maven! You can also learn more about Kasia from her own blog, Love in the City of Lights.
I LOVE this one:
I like her on FB and follow her on Twitter! 🙂
I love all of her products and the way she combines style, design and versatility. Although I’m partial to the Paris totes, I think my favourite right now is the black and white Retro Tote.
All the best to you and Kasia this holiday season!
(I also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.)
Visited Kasias site and my fav is the Sky Tote.
mnrquick at yahoo dot com
I really like this one:
and I think I like the clutch of the same pattern even more!
I don’t know…it just sings to me. What an amazing business story. Thanks for sharing.
they are all great, but i love the bw floral clutch!
I like Kasia Dietz bags on Facebook.
Robin Quick
mnrquick at yahoo dot com
I follow Kasia Dietz Bags on Twitter
RKQuick
mnrquick at yahoo dot com
I absolutely love Kasia’s Tribal and Retro series — I don’t think I could pick just one. I love them all! And of course the Paris handpainted ones are great! I would love to have one with my zip code of 75019.
I need to find some more babysitting jobs before I can get one of these babies, though, so I am hoping I win the floral one! *grin*
I’m very proud of what Kasia has accomplished in just one year. To find the level of success she has had with her bags in just 12 months is a testament not only to the quality of her bags, but also of her vision and hard work. Emphasis on HARD WORK. Go Kasia! I hope she finds even more success in her second year of business!
P.S. I started following her both on Twitter and Liked her Kasia Dietz Facebook page a looooong time ago, so I don’t know if it counts for the entry or not. (But I hope it does!!)
Addendum: I did not realize I was not following Kasia Dietz BAGS on Twitter, so I just started!! Now *that* counts, I believe! I’m @ParisKarin there. 🙂
Huge Kasia Dietz fan here! So happy for her about the spot at Le Bon Marché!! Congrats!
@MelissaP, me too!
Love the Terra tote! So hip! Have Followed Kasia on Twitter for a long time, but now I’ve just followed Kasia Dietz Bags too.
I love the “Sky Tote” and of course all the clever handpainted Paris & New York ones! 🙂
My favorite is the retro tote in the black and white. I already follow her on Twitter!
My favourite item is the Circle Bag 🙂
Francesca
francivusk at hotmail dot it
I love the Blue Floral Tote from the Hamptons collection.
I really enjoyed browsing through this website. the designs were all lovely. my favorites are the sea green floral mini tote, the red floral tote, the earth tote, sky clutch, and the rose bag.
I liked kasia dietz on facebook and I follow on twitter.
my fb name: alissa Kristie
my twitter name: ohmissaliss
Thank you for the giveaway!
I love the Blue Eye Purse – it looks like peacock feathers! Gorgeous!
I like the Floral Tote
I follow Kasia Dietz Bags on Twitter
Thank you for the lovely giveaway!!! I love the Blue Eye Bag and Purpuse and the floral tote bag!
GFC: Kat
The Sky Tote and the Red Print Tote are my favorites, though there are so many other items that I love.
I Like Kasia Dietz on facebook (Katie Duckfluff McGinnis) and follow her on twitter (l_afterwords).
I love the Sky Clutch.
I love the black and white floral tote! Gorgeous!
The Green Eye Bag is stunning!
My favorite item is the Earth Tote
dsauers7(at)hotmail.com
Following on Twitter as gimmetweets3
dsauers7(at)hotmail.com
My favorite is the sky clutch!
liked on fb (may equality shum)
love the aqua tote!
I like the style and pattern of the Earth Tote-beautiful.
Liked Kasia Dietz on Facebook.
I like the Hamptons pink and blue floral tote, wish they weren’t sold out.
Thanks for the chance to win!
–Liza
ejm6x (at) yahoo (dot) com
I like the black and white floral bag!
Follow Kasia Dietz Bags on Twitter: @natlayyy
I love the blue eye bag! There are so many I really like, so unique!
I follow Kasia Deitz on facebook (Rust Hawk).
I follow Kasia Deitz on twitter @rusthawk.
I love the Terra tote! Super cute!
following on Twitter as HannaHutcheson.
I like her on FB.
My favorite item is NIGHT BLUE FLORAL MINI-TOTE
franceirish_c(at)yahoo(dot)com
Liked Kasia Dietz bags
https://www.facebook.com/franceirish
franceirish_c(at)yahoo(dot)com
Following Kasia Dietz Bags on Twitter’
http://twitter.com/#!/franceirish
franceirish_c(at)yahoo(dot)com
Good luck to the winner! I have this tote, and it’s beautiful and has lots of pockets. We love pockets, yes?
I like the Sky Tote
I love the Tribal Blue Eye Bag
My favorite is the Blue Eye bag.
I follow on twitter (@RebeccaFH).
I like Kasia Dietz Bags on Facebook (Rebecca F. H.)
I like the limited edition sky tote.
My favorite is the Red Vintage Bag!
I like the Flora tote bag.
GloriaDeal@aol.com
Like Kasia Dietz Bags on facebook
GloriaDeal@aol.com
I follow Kasia Dietz bags on twitter.
Glorwal61
I like the green eye bag.
I follow on Twitter
Love the Black and White Floral Clutch
I follow Kasia Dietz via facebook
I follow Kasia Dietz via twitter
LLMG1960
Thank you all for your lovely compliments, feedback and support! Good luck!
And thank you Andi for the feature!
Best,
Kasia
I love the Black Floral Tote!
Like on FB as Lauren Davies Knott
Following on Twitter as LaurKnotter
my favorite is terra bag.
i like on facebook
i follow on twitter
@janetxplanet
I love the Sea Green Floral and the Red Vintage and the Blue Eye. So many were pretty, it was hard to choose. Gorgeous fabrics.
I also follow on Twitter and Facebook 🙂 AND I’m a Kasia, too! That should be an extra entry!
my favorite is the NATURA COLLECTION!
My favorite would be the sky clutch!! It’s gorgeous. I love this concept.
Like Kasia Dietz bags on Facebook.
Follow Kasia Dietz Bags on Twitter
Twitter: uhhhhlease
I really like the Terra tote
I LOVE all of Kasia’s creations. But am smitten with the Black & White Handbags — specifically the Floral.
I also love the Rive Gauce Paris Handprinted Handbag.
I follow Kasia on Twitter (@TheModernMama)
I follow Kasia on Facbook (Carol T Gomez)
I’m completely in love with Kasia Dietz bags! I especially like the Green Eye Bag!