American handbag designer Bonnie Cashin is not a name most people recognize like Kate Spade or Coco Chanel but she was a creative force to be reckoned with in the early 1960's.
Ms. Cashin grew up playing with the left over fabric in her Mom's custom dressmaking shop. She also was always fascinated with the art of dance and combined these two loves with an attention to details of how fabric, especially light and silky fabric, interacted with the human body.
In the 1930's and 40's, she was a wardrobe mistress on Broadway and then designed costumes for 20th Century Fox. While making flamboyant outfits for a living, she preferred a simple utilitarian approach to clothing and accessories in her private life.
Coach handbags began looking for a handbag designer in the 1960's and, once they saw how Ms. Cashin was teaming colorful leather with other fabrics, they were convinced she would be an asset to the design team.
Her very first bag for Coach was a portable sling somewhere between a kangaroo pouch and a pocket. Up to this point, women usually carried smaller bags just big enough for lipstick, cash, etc. Ms. Cashin believed, however, that you could still be elegant and carry all your "stuff". She also developed her own shade of candy pink and encouraged Coach to do limited dye runs of brilliant colors for their leather.
This elegant and chic lady had a hugh impact on Coach Handbags, and, in addition, on the world of handbag fashion. Her influence can still be seen today in the clean designs and unusual colors of Coach handbags.
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