Best Iconic Handbag Podcasts (2025)

1
Unzipping the Art of Handbag Design and Branding with Industry Leader, Nancy Forman 37:56

3d ago37:56

37:56

Unzip the secrets to handbag design and branding strategy as we deconstruct the art and business of creating statement carryalls with industry leader, Nancy Forman of The Accessory Think Tank. As a key player in the initial handbag awards creation and a seasoned merchant, Nancy dives into the demanding world of product development, growth expectati…

1
Plague, fire and hanky-panky in Swinging 1660s London: Samuel Pepys' Diary 1:19:13

3d ago1:19:13

1:19:13

Welcome to London in the swinging sixties. One man fights off a towering inferno, navigates a zombie apocalypse, and an invading fleet of evil foreigners, while doing an extraordinary amount of shagging along the way. But we’re not talking about Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. This is the Diary of Samuel Pepys, written in the - flip th…

1
How Kerri Quigley Built a Fashion Empire—One Kid at a Time 🧵✨| Emily Blumenthal & Kerri Quigley 38:56

10d ago38:56

38:56

What happens when an entrepreneurial spirit meets a passion for teaching? For Kerri Quigley, it led to The Fashion Class—a sewing and design school that’s igniting creativity and confidence in the next generation of makers. In this episode of Handbag Designer 101, Kerri shares her incredible journey from launching an underwear line at 17 to buildin…

1
Breakfast with Jane Austen 52:19

10d ago52:19

52:19

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day -- especially for Jane Austen. On and off the page, Austen paid a lot of attention to the breakfast table. In real life, Austen woke before her family, played the piano and got the breakfast ready, before retreating to write for the rest of the morning. And in the novels this meal is no less foundatio…

1
Inside Clare V.: How a DIY Laptop Case Sparked a Handbag Empire 🧵👜 | Emily Blumenthal & Clare Vivier 39:51

17d ago39:51

39:51

In this episode of Handbag Designer 101, we dive into the story of Clare Vivier, the founder behind the effortlessly cool handbag brand Clare V.—a name synonymous with California style and functional fashion. What began as a side hustle crafting chic laptop cases has grown into a nationwide brand with 14 retail locations and a cult following. Clare…

1
Oscar Wilde 4: Doing rhyme: The Ballad of Reading Gaol 1:27:09

17d ago1:27:09

1:27:09

In this episode - the last in our series on Oscar Wilde - we tell the story of the melodramatic, mediagenic, mad, melancholy end of Oscar Wilde's writing life and glittering career as the cleverest man in Britain, after his string of smash hit plays, culminating in "The Importance of Being Earnest." Almost as the curtain went up on his masterpiece …

1
Life and love with MND: Lisa Genova's Every Note Played with Prof Dominic Rowe 40:32

21d ago40:32

40:32

Published in 2018, Lisa Genova’s Every Note Played follows the experiences of renowned concert pianist Richard Evans from the moment he is diagnosed with a form of Motor Neurone Disease, or MND, to his death less than two years later. It is a confronting, blow-by-blow account of the physical deterioration caused by MND, but also a testament to huma…

1
How Monica Botkier Turned a Side Hustle into a Handbag Legend 🔥👜| Emily Blumenthal & Monica Botkier 59:43

24d ago59:43

59:43

Before every influencer had a brand and every bag had a waitlist, there was the Botkier Trigger Bag—an iconic design that redefined what it meant to blend fashion and function. In this episode of Handbag Designer 101, Monica Botkier joins us to share the real story behind one of the most game-changing handbag brands of the early 2000s—and how she’s…

1
Oscar Wilde 3: "A Handbag?!" The Importance of Being Earnest 1:24:35

24d ago1:24:35

1:24:35

The Importance of Being Earnest, first performed in 1895 at the sumptuous St James' Theatre in London, was Wilde’s last, and without question his greatest piece of dramatic writing. The handbag, the cucumber sandwiches, the Bunburying and the first class ticket to Worthing all come together to create a timeless classic that has been rarely out of p…

1
Happier with Henry Wotton: Gretchen Rubin on Aphorisms and the Importance of Being Oscar Wilde 40:58

28d ago40:58

40:58

Gretchen Rubin is one of America’s best known and best-loved writers on how to be happy. She published her evergreen classic The Happiness Project in 2009, and it was an instant hit. She’s followed it with many more books on the habits of happiness, and she’s also co-host of a hit podcast Happier, which she hosts with her sister, the writer Elizabe…

1
Inside NY Now: Why Wholesale Still Matters for Independent Designers 👜🛍️| Emily Blumenthal & Matthew Mathiasen 42:03

1M ago42:03

42:03

In an era dominated by DTC, what role do trade shows still play in building a fashion brand? In this episode of Handbag Designer 101, we sit down with Matthew Mathiasen, Show Director of NY Now, to unpack why wholesale isn’t just relevant—it’s essential for emerging accessory brands looking for long-term growth, especially now with The “It Bag x NY…

1
Oscar Wilde 2: If Looks Could Kill: The Picture of Dorian Gray 1:20:30

1M ago1:20:30

1:20:30

The Picture of Dorian Gray is Oscar Wilde’s only novel, and it caused a sensation. It was used as evidence in Wilde’s trial for the crime of “gross indecency” in 1895. The conceit of the story is famous – a portrait grows old and corrupt while its human subject remains eternally youthful. But who knows what really happens in this famous modern myth…

1
From Street Interviews to Red Carpets: How @TheeFashionMix Became Fashion's Digital Insider 🎤👠| Emily Blumenthal & Michaela “Ms. Mix” Cacho-Negrete 29:18

1M ago29:18

29:18

What does it really take to go from fashion fan to front-row reporter in today’s content-saturated world? Michaela Mix Caccia Negrete—better known as Ms. Mix of The Fashion Mix—proves that bold moves and relentless hustle still open doors. After being rejected from nearly 70 NYFW shows, she didn’t turn around—she turned up. With a mic in hand and s…

1
Classic Books vs Trump: Jill Lepore on reading her way through the first 100 days 26:20

1M ago26:20

26:20

Jill Lepore is one of America’s most renowned intellectuals. She’s Professor not only of American History, but also of Law at Harvard University; she's a staff writer at the New Yorker, and still finds time to write some of the most renowned history books of the 21st Century, including the magisterial and monumental These Truths: A History of the U…

1
From Ghost Designer to Brand Builder: How Karen Cardoso Created Bolsa Nova 👜🇮🇹 | Emily Blumenthal & Karen Cardoso 27:02

2M ago27:02

27:02

What happens when you walk away from decades of designing for other people—and finally bet on yourself? Karen Cardoso spent 30 years behind the scenes designing handbags for household names like Jessica Simpson and Franco Sarto. But when tariffs upended her production plans, she didn’t fold—she pivoted. That moment sparked the creation of Bolsa Nov…

1
Oscar Wilde 1: The Happy Prince and Other Stories 1:15:11

2M ago1:15:11

1:15:11

Few writers have blurred the boundaries between life and art quite so spectacularly as Oscar Wilde. In his writing, he challenged the moral standards of the time, advocated for Irish Nationalism and demanded tolerance of homosexuality. He wrote about decadence and the corruption of youth before going out in a fireball of scandal of his own making, …

1
BONUS: More 'Rivals': Actor Katherine Parkinson on the joy of Jilly Cooper and playing Lizzie Vereker in the television adaptation 41:17

2M ago41:17

41:17

Hot on the heels of our Rivals episode, Sophie and Jonty are joined by the actor and writer Katherine Parkinson - one of the stars of the recent adaptation for television. Katherine talks about playing Lizzie Vereker, wife of the ghastly James Vereker, and the satisfaction she finds in her characters's affair with Freddie Jones; why Jilly Cooper is…

1
Luxury with a Past Life: How Evey Amery Built a Global Pre-Loved Handbag Empire ♻️👜 | Emily Blumenthal and Evey Amery 27:22

2M ago27:22

27:22

Step into the booming world of pre-loved designer handbags with Evey Amery, founder of EveysPreLoved, the London-based luxury consignment business redefining what “sustainable fashion” really means. 💼✨ From Chanel and Hermès to Fendi and beyond, Evey brings transparency, trust, and TV-presenter polish to a market where condition and authenticity ar…

1
Bollinger, Board Battles and Bonking Galore: Jilly Cooper's Rivals 58:00

2M ago58:00

58:00

Jilly Cooper’s Rivals (1988) is the ultimate bonkbuster - a story of professional rivalry in the Cotswold’s fast-set with lashings of sex thrown in. It follows a wide cast of characters as they jostle for power, conduct affairs with one another’s spouses, eat terrible 1980s food and listen endlessly to Chris de Burgh’s Lady in Red. Rivals was marke…

1
The Epic of Gilgamesh with Robert Macfarlane 50:26

2M ago50:26

50:26

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest surviving works of literature - an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, stitched together from fragments going back as far as 2100BCE. It tells the story of Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, his friendship with the wild man Enkidu, and his attempts to come to terms with his own mortality. Although incomplete, the es…

1
Reimagining Leather: How Gen Phoenix is Transforming Waste into the Future of Luxury 🧪♻️| Emily Blumenthal and Elyse Winer 32:01

2M ago32:01

32:01

Join Elyse Winer of Gen Phoenix as she reveals the groundbreaking technology turning discarded leather waste into high-performance recycled materials used by Coach, Dr. Martens, and more. 🌍👜 Since 2007, Gen Phoenix has diverted over 10,000 tons of leather from landfills using a patented process that creates sustainable leather with 80% less carbon—…

1
The Tortured Poets Department: Emily Dickinson, the Transcendentalists and, yes, Taylor Swift 1:12:42

2M ago1:12:42

1:12:42

Emily Dickinson is probably the most famous female poet in the world. And yet – at least according to Dickinson mythology – her work could easily have gone unpublished. She wrote 1800 poems but published only 10 in her lifetime. Instead, she bound them into little bundles of paper, tied with kitchen string. These were found after her death by her s…

1
BONUS: Secret Life of Democracy (Literature at the polls) 54:00

2M ago54:00

54:00

As Australia heads to the polls, Sophie and Jonty slap their democracy sausages on the bbq and take a tour of the greatest elections and electoral candidates in literary history. Their journey takes them through the full political spectrum - from Ancient Athens to Shakespeare's London, the fictional towns of Middlemarch and Market Snodsbury to the …

1
Making Luxury Bags in America with GiGi New York’s Tom Glazer and Alexia Nelson 👜✨| Emily Blumenthal & Tom Glazer and Alexia Nelson 39:35

2M ago39:35

39:35

Join Tom Glazer and Alexia Nelson, the leadership behind Graphic Image and GiGi New York, as they reveal how they transformed a specialized bookbinding company into a thriving luxury handbag brand—all while proudly keeping production 100% American. 🇺🇸💼 With smart pivots during the 2009 recession and a bold embrace of modern retail strategies like d…

1
Guns and (war of the) Roses. The irresistible rise of Shakespeare's Richard III 1:17:18

2M ago1:17:18

1:17:18

Richard III is one of the OG villains of English literary history, the usurper king who killed his brother, nephews (the infamous “Princes in the Tower”) and seduced his brother's wife all in the space of about six months. Richard III is also known as “Crookback,” or the hunchback of Windsor Castle, because of his curvature of the spine, which prom…

1
BONUS: The Disappearance of Agatha Christie 29:07

2M ago29:07

29:07

On 3 December 1926, only a few months after the publication of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (in book form), Agatha Christie mysteriously disappeared, leaving an abandoned car in a ditch. As the days passed, the media went wild with excitement, vast searches involving thousands of volunteers were conducted in the Surrey countryside, and her husband A…

1
Elyce Arons from Crafting Kate Spade to Launching Frances Valentine | Emily Blumenthal & Elyce Arons 47:51

2M ago47:51

47:51

✨ A re-release of one of our favorite episodes! Step into the heart of New York’s fashion legacy with Elyce Arons, co-founder of Kate Spade and Frances Valentine, as she shares the remarkable story behind one of the most iconic handbag brands of all time. 👜💫 From rural Kansas roots to building a global fashion empire alongside her best friend, the …

1
Hercule Poirot, a Tunisian dagger and an evening of Mah Jong: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd 1:17:21

2M ago1:17:21

1:17:21

The three best-selling authors of all time are, in order, God, Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. Exact figures are hard to know, but the gulf between Christie and the second division is big enough to guarantee her place. She has sold over 2 billion books (and just to make that number easier to comprehend, that’s two thousand million). There are a ha…

1
From Ziplocs to Luxury: The Hudson Bleeker Journey | Emily Blumenthal & Eram Siddiqui 34:40

3M ago34:40

34:40

What started with plastic grocery bags and Ziplocs sparked a travel accessory empire. Eram Siddiqui turned personal frustration into the polished, fashion-forward brand Hudson+Bleecker—now carried by Nordstrom, Revolve, and QVC. Her journey from sewing with her mom to sourcing manufacturers in China is a testament to grit, adaptability, and style-f…

1
Who watches the Watchmen?: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen 1:04:03

3M ago1:04:03

1:04:03

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes, wrote the Roman poet Juvenal two thousand years ago. And just in case your Latin isn’t up to scratch, we’ll translate it for you: Who watches the watchmen? That line provided inspiration to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen - arguably the first graphic novel to join the ranks of classic literature. Published as a …

1
From Saks to Startups: Marketing That Sells with Ernest Moore🎯🛍️ | Emily Blumenthal & Ernest Moore 39:01

3M ago39:01

39:01

Step into the world of fashion marketing with Ernest Moore, of Moore Marketing & PR, a seasoned pro who’s worked with top PR agencies and retail giants like Macy’s and Saks. In this must-hear episode, Ernest unpacks the biggest marketing mistakes emerging designers make—and how to get real results without wasting time or money. 💸✨ With honest advic…

1
SLoB's Secret Life of Pets 58:07

3M ago58:07

58:07

From Macavity to Samuel Johnson’s Hodge, Buck to Rochester’s Pilot, what is classic literature without its pets? One of the most affecting scenes in The Odyssey, that foundation stone of western literature, occurs when Argos, Odysseus’ aged dog, dies at the moment of reunion with his long lost owner. Not even the knowledge of his afterlife as a sho…

1
George Orwell 6: What's in Room 101? 1984 Part 2 55:49

3M ago55:49

55:49

As Shakespeare almost wrote: Orwell That Ends Well. While our six-part series on George Orwell comes to a triumphant end, Orwell’s life - alas - did not. He died too young and deeply pessimistic about the future of the world. In this last episode, Sophie and Jonty look at the bright side of life in Airstrip One, speculate what really lies within Ro…

1
Evolve or Perish: Retail Insights with Bernadette Giacomazzo 👜✨| Emily Blumenthal & Bernadette Giacomazzo 35:35

3M ago35:35

35:35

What happens when brands fail to adapt? Journalist Bernadette Giacomazzo breaks it down, sharing why evolution is essential for survival in today’s retail landscape. From Blockbuster vs. Netflix to the rise of secondhand shopping and upcycling, this episode dives into the shifts shaping fashion and retail. 🌿📈 💡 Key Takeaways: 🔹 Adapt to Survive: Wh…

1
George Orwell 5: Sex crime, anyone? 1984 pt1 57:41

3M ago57:41

57:41

Newspeak, Big Brother, the Thought Police, Room 101, doublethink, sex crime, the Ministry of Truth. Few books have generated quite as many outlandish yet unforgettable concepts as George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. So much so that Orwell’s name is now an adjective - Orwellian - which, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary means ‘relating t…

1
George Orwell 4: Come on, Eileen! Anna Funder, Mrs Orwell and Wifedom 1:00:06

3M ago1:00:06

1:00:06

George Orwell is one of the most famous names in classic literature, thanks to his novels Animal Farm and 1984, both dystopian fables of worlds gone mad, ruled over by autocratic pigs and authoritarian governments who monitor their citizens– or barnyard companions – every move. And yet for all his commitment to political and social justice, or at l…

1
Mastering Venture Capital with Rachel Johnson 💼✨| Emily Blumenthal & Rachel Johnson 25:41

3M ago25:41

25:41

Step behind the scenes of venture capital funding with Rachel Johnson, co-founder of J&O Law Firm and founder of Ami Health. With a decade of experience guiding high-growth companies, Rachel shares her dual insights as an attorney and founder, offering invaluable advice for entrepreneurs navigating the world of funding. 📈💡 💡 Key Takeaways: 🔹 Is Ven…

1
George Orwell 3: Murder in the Barnyard: Animal Farm 1:20:13

3M ago1:20:13

1:20:13

Animal Farm is George Orwell’s micro masterpiece, an animal fable that offers a devastating critique of Stalinist Russia and the rise of totalitarianism. Orwell described it to a friend as a “little squib,” but it’s much more than that: a tiny atom bomb that lands a structurally perfect hit on mid-20th century political authoritarianism and communi…

1
World Poetry Day Double-Bill: Can poetry change the world? The War Poems of Siegfried Sassoon 54:19

4M ago54:19

54:19

Together, Siegfried Sassoon’s The Old Huntsman (1917) and Counter-Attack and Other Poems (1918) are among the greatest examples of protest art in British history. Sassoon was a decorated war hero, who took a stand - when few others dared - on the moral emptiness, institutional corruption and brutality of the First World War. Alongside his poetry, S…

1
Branding, Storytelling & Handbag Success with Idalia Salsamendi 👜✨ | Emily Blumenthal & Idalia Salsamendi 29:11

4M ago29:11

29:11

Step into the world of fashion, strategy & storytelling with industry powerhouse Idalia Salsamendi! From PR to fashion leadership, Idalia shares the must-know fundamentals of branding, competition, and consumer demands—especially in sustainability. 🌿✨ 💡 Key Takeaways: 🔹 Brand Identity Matters: Understanding your niche & standing out. 🔹 Creativity M…

1
George Orwell 2: The Revolution SHOULD NOT be televised: Homage to Catalonia 1:23:03

4M ago1:23:03

1:23:03

War is boring; revolution is boring; politics is boring. That’s the message of George Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia. But, somehow, Homage to Catalonia itself is NOT boring. Published in 1938, it charts Orwell’s experience on, behind and beyond the front line of the fight against Fascism in the Spanish Civil War. Through the course of his narrative, …

1
World Poetry Day Double-Bill: Elizabeth Bishop's Geography III with Rachel Cohen 51:10

4M ago51:10

51:10

Elizabeth Bishop is one of those poets who’s often referred to as a writer’s writer, but this doesn’t mean her poems are hard to read. On the contrary: as one of the most loved and admired twentieth-century poets, Bishop has the rare ability to do high-low. She’s enjoyable and accessible and also intensely artful and complex, not to mention very fu…

1
40+ Years of Handbag Mastery with Frank LaMendola 👜✨| Emily Blumenthal & Frank LaMendola 29:10

4M ago29:10

29:10

Step into the world of timeless design & craftsmanship with legendary handbag designer Frank LaMendola! With over four decades in the industry, Frank shares insights on fashion’s cyclical nature and today’s shift toward understated luxury & quality. 🔄✨ Frank also reveals plans for his new handbag brand, built on quality craftsmanship that resonates…

1
George Orwell 1: The Best Gap Yah, great food writing and Paris hotels: Down and Out in Paris and London 1:20:03

4M ago1:20:03

1:20:03

In the winter of 1927, George Orwell dropped his aitches, pulled on his distressed tailored trousers, and took the first of many trips to the underbelly of London society. Over the following years, he spent long stints amongst the homeless and starving people of both Paris and London. He collected these experiences into his first book Down and Out …

1
International Women's Day Bonus: Was Shakespeare a Woman? Jodi Picoult says yes! 49:44

4M ago49:44

49:44

Legendary bestseller Jodi Picoult is also a graduate of the Princeton English Department, and this week she came back to teach class! Sophie recorded a live episode at the Princeton Public Library in front of a packed house of Jodi fans who were delighted to hear why she believes that when it comes to Shakespeare's best plays, a women was holding t…

1
Navigating Global Fashion: Oleg Chebotarev’s Creative Journey from Russia to China | Oleg Chebotarev & Emily Blumenthal 29:46

4M ago29:46

29:46

Join us as we sit down with Oleg Chebotarev, the visionary Creative Director of Jump From Paper, who shares his unconventional journey through the fashion world. From post-communist Russia to the bustling creative hubs of China, Oleg’s path is a masterclass in adaptability, resilience, and the intersection of culture and design. Oleg’s career began…

1
Magnetic chemistry, social anxiety, and the in-laws from hell: Pride & Prejudice (aka Meet The Bennets) 1:24:39

4M ago1:24:39

1:24:39

By many reckonings, this is the most famous novel in English. It’s also the book Jane Austen described as her own “Darling Child.” As we head to the milestone of Jane’s 250th Birthday in December (get ready for the minced chicken and negus party) Sophie and Jonty dig into one of the most joyful, funny, sexy stories ever told. In this episode we ask…

1
Self-Help, dodgy marriages and the siren call of Australia: David Copperfield Part 2 54:17

4M ago54:17

54:17

In Part 2 of David Copperfield, we pick up David where we left him, sobbing at the door of Betsey Trotwood’s house in Dover. From this low, David’s life changes - he is no longer a victim, but embarks on a (very long) journey towards self-reliance, re-encountering old friends like Micawbers and Steerforth, but also new characters like Uriah Heep an…

1
From Hollywood to Entrepreneurship: Reinventing Your Brand with Dana Bowling | Emily Blumenthal & Dana Bowling 36:16

4M ago36:16

36:16

Dana Bowling, a former Hollywood casting director turned entrepreneur, shares how she walked away from a high-profile career to build a business on her own terms. In this episode, Dana reveals the behind-the-scenes realities of Hollywood, the pressures of personal branding, and how she successfully pivoted into coaching creatives and entrepreneurs—…

1
‘Umble beginnings, childhood neglect, and did Dickens steal from Charlotte Bronte: David Copperfield 1:01:58

4M ago1:01:58

1:01:58

David Copperfield is the name of an American illusionist, whose feats included levitating over the Grand Canyon, walking through the Great Wall of China and making an airplane disappear. It’s also the name of novel by Charles Dickens. Published in serial form between 1849 and 1850, David Copperfield charts the degradation and eventual success of it…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Iconic Handbag Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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