{Shana Luther pictured right with the William Tote}
Handbags are essential to a woman’s wardrobe and as designer Shana Luther puts it, “If you have to carry one, why not make it an awesome design?” Her passion for designing fashion accessories began the moment she looped her first piece of thread through a needle. Years later upon graduating from Pratt Institute in 2000 she founded SML (her initials), a small company specializing in handmade leather and fabric handbags. Until 2012 Shana meticulously sketched and sewed each one of her designs by hand out of her Brooklyn studio. The recent expansion of her line into Shana Luther Handbags brought with it additional manufacturing capabilities, which Shana was adamant about keeping domestic. All of her materials are locally sourced and all of the manufacturers she uses are based in the US. Her commitment to American-made even garnered the attention of one very high-profile American-made enthusiast, Martha Stewart, who chose Shana’s line as a finalist in the 2012 Martha Stewart American Made Awards. Continue reading →