Meet Monica Botkier

PB: There is a rumor going around that the Botkier Bianca is going to be discontinued…

Monica: Actually, we were going to discontinue it. We thought it had a great run. But now what we are doing is continuing it. Some of the major stores and specialty stores are not really picking it up, but Botkier.com will be carrying it.

PB: People were really worried!

Monica: It is going to be limited. You won’t have the 15 colors, but it will still be there. We are probably just going to go forward with the medium size.

PB: Well you had many of the ladies on our forum worried. They kept asking if the bag is going to be gone.

Monica: Your forum is a group of very passionate people!

PB: What bag do you carry on a daily basis?

Monica: Right now I am carrying the Stevie Convertible in bright yellow. I love this bag. It is a light structure but has some casual aspects to it in terms of the ruching. The outside pocket is number 1 for my Blackberry, because I am addicted to it! I also love this bag because of the cross-body. Cross-body bags are some of the ugliest bags made unless they are done right and I really feel like this is a successful one. There is another bag in June coming out called the Morgan, it is a fringed bag and I just love it.

PB: There are a few who are inquiring about suede lining in your bags?

Monica: Oh yes, well we gave suede lining to the Bianca. We really thought it was a super-luxe bag. But suede really does make bags heavier. The Bianca is made of light leathers so it can handle the weight, but we did not want to give it to every bag so that it weighs the bag down.

PB: Do you have plans to expand your line beyond handbags and shoes?

Monica: I think right now we are going to stick with this. We have a great wallet collection and may add a few more small accessories. The shoes are a huge endeavor. They are made in Italy and it has been quite a bit of work. But I got a great compliment from my mom! My mom is a high-heeled shoe diva. She had foot surgery recently and was so bummed. I gave her one of our 100 mm and she was able to wear them on a recently trip and said they were so comfortable. So I think we are going to concentrate on what we have now.

PB: Where do you see your brand in five years?

Monica: I don’t see us as a real lifestyle brand; like dresses, sneakers, etc. I see us as an accessory lifestyle brand. So have some stores and flush out some more leather accessories. We still have room to grow.