PB: Introduce us to Oliver!
RM: How do they know about Oliver? Ha. Oliver is a great bag. And he has a younger sibling, Ollie, who just opens through the sides.
PB: If a Hollywood Celebrity (or reality star like Lauren Conrad) is seen carrying your bag, can you tell that it has an impact?
RM: It is incredible. When Vanessa Hudgens wore the MAM in Tangerine, we had to cut 300 extra of the bag. The Black with Basket weave that Lindsay wore was a big hit. The Wine Nikki (after Lauren Conrad wore it) and Matinee have been big hits. It is insane what that does.
PB: Do you remember your first designer handbag?
RM: Because I fell into bags before I could afford a designer handbag, my first designer handbag was mine. But it would have been a Balenciaga, which is what I lusted after first.
PB: If you were not a designer, what would you do?
RM: Dance!
PB: Are there any bags other than the ones you have that you really like?
RM: I love some of the smaller patchwork Prada bags and there are some great Chloe bags out now too.
PB: What inspires your textures, materials, and new styles?
RM: New styles are a mix of random occurrences. The French Tote collection came from a very old doctor’s bag that was stiff. Sometimes it is just out of something I have seen and loved an aspect of it. Many times it is of a vintage bag and I will Frankenstein some ideas after it. As far as textures go, I meet with all of the tannery’s and they will show me 100 skins and 100 colors. I can take what they sell already or develop my own colors (which I am doing for next spring, all of my own custom colors).
