PB: We’re smiling because we know exactly what you are talking about, it’s just like our office! After an argument, in no time, we are like, “ok, want to watch a show and get something to eat?”
AH: You are exactly right. And you couldn’t have that with someone you aren’t that intimate with. It is a huge plus.
PB: Now, Kooba, was your mother Bonnie’s maiden name? Is that right? Where is that from?
AH: Where is that from? I don’t know – good question. I don’t know for sure, but I would think it was shortened and it is a Russian name, but don’t quote me on that.
PB: It seems so fitting, such a great name for a brand.
AH: Ya, it is catching.
PB: So, your background was in fashion, where did you go to school?
AH: I studied Business at Boston University. We really learned on the go. But, I’ve been an avid shopper, I have been into fashion from early on. But really no trained fashion background. We’ve always had an eclectic mix: vintage with new, high and low. That gave us a lot of inspiration from a lot of places.
PB: When you do your collections, where do you gather your inspiration from?
AH: Really from all over. I can see a piece of hardware on a piece of furniture and it will give us an idea, or a handle on a car that has a cool lever and it gives us a cool idea, old magazines or a movie – you see a bag and like the shape. Also, a lot of inspiration comes from the leather and the feel of it. You can think how it will drape on a bag so you can envision it. We go forwards and go backwards.
PB: Speaking of the leathers, how do you decide on them? Which you will use for a given collection?
AH: We work with predominantly leather. 85-95% leather. We started with fabrics initially and moved to leather but we are starting to do more fabrics now. We think it is time and we are ready to use fabrics a little more. The leather we gravitate towards always usually has something interesting about it. We try to change around the color palates each season but we stay true to who we are. We work with the trends but we incorporate the basics. We’ll take a leather and the next season we will make it shinnier or crackly.
PB: How do you remember your inspirations? Do you carry a sketch pad with you? How do you remember what you see?
AH: Actually, no sketch pad, I just remember everything in my head. I sometimes leave myself a message. That way when I am like “what did I like that I saw” I can just check the message I sent myself. But it is all a visual memory. I take a lot of tear sheets – things I am always working with my design team on. I kind of like the experience of having it develop. From where we start and where we finish – there are lots of revisions. I like the experience of playing with and creating it as we go along.
