Designer Profile : Gorjana

One of the best parts of my job is discovering new designers. There are loads of well known, new and upcoming handbag designers on the market today and it can get a little overwhelming for handbag lovers, especially for those of you who might be new to the whole designer bag market.  I’d like to establish a new series where I will profile new and established bag designers so we can all get to know the artists behind each brand and new “it” bag.

Let’s start off with a designer you may not be all too familiar with, Gorjana.  You may have heard of Gorjana jewelry but she has since included a line of chic and contemporary handbags for the Fall ‘09 season.

Gorjana is a designer from Yugoslavia. She and her family moved to Canada when she was 7 and then moved to the US shortly after. She was discovered by a Ford Models representative at the tender age of 15 and was whisked away to walk down the runways and model in photo shoots.  After establishing herself as a model and graduating from college, Gorjana, decided to delve into the jewelry making business with the help of her husband. In 2004 she launched her own jewelry line and gained fans and followers like Sienna Miller.

Gorjana jewelry and accessories are always stunning yet quite simple in overall detail. The same can be said about her handbag line. Her leather bags consist of streamlined shapes, classic details and colours.  One bag in particular caught my eye and it’s called the Rivington Satchel.

Image: Shopbop

The Gorjana Rivington Satchel ($340) is show here in a beautiful shade of grey. It’s almost a taupey brownish-grey, kind of hard to describe such a unique colour.  It’s made with pebbled leather which is smooth yet has a slight texture that makes it sumptuous.

There is a zip pocket on the front and cool pleating details on the front and back.  The straps are studded and the sides of the bag are folded to give it interest.  Gold hardware compliments the grey leather beautifully and it measures 10″H x 13″L x 7″D making it the perfect sized bag, idea to use for work and every day.  The other bags in the line include a hobo, a tote and a little messenger bag. They all come in versatile neutral colours that will appeal to many and work with everything in your closet.

If you’re looking for a bag that has the same refined feminine feel that her jewelry collection has, check out the handbag, you won’t be disappointed! The price points are fabulous too, with the lowest at $290 and the highest at $355. These are great looking bags that won’t break the bank.  You can purchase Gorjana jewelry and handbags at the Shopbop website.