History
The company was founded in March 1982 by Patricia Miller and Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, a 1962 graduate of Marymount College. Named after Baekgaard's mother, the company got its start when both were inspired while awaiting a flight in Atlanta, where they noticed a "definite lack of feminine-looking luggage".[3]
Products
Vera Bradley bags come in several sizes and styles, as well as many different patterns and colors. There are travel duffels, totes, purses, wallets, eyeglass and sunglass cases, cosmetic cases, and jewelry cases. There are also umbrellas, napkins, placemats, rolling luggage, tableware, rugs, accessories, and stationery.
Periodically, the company will retire a pattern. When patterns retire, new ones are produced. New patterns are released four times per year: spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Collections
All collections are available in a variety of colors and patterns.
Handbags
Vera Bradley makes several different types of handbags. Some names include the Amy, the Handbag, the Hipster, the Tote, the Morgan, the Hannah, the Betsy, and the Villager. The handbags are made out of quilted cotton and are released in a variety of patterns.
Accessories
Vera Bradley makes coordinating accessories. The accessories are available in all of the Signature Cotton patterns, except for the Mosaic pattern which only comes in limited accessories and handbags. There is also a line of flip-flops, sunglasses and beach towels.
Travel
The Vera Bradley Travel Collection includes Classic Cotton duffel/travel bags (made from the same fabric as the traditional handbags and accessories), as well as rolling luggage.
Microfiber
Along with the Signature Cotton collection, Vera Bradley releases a Microfiber line during the same period new patterns are released. Microfiber lines are released twice a year, each time with different style bags, detail stitching, and inside prints. The company has released brown and black Microfiber pieces; most recently, they created a black line for the Spring 09 collection that involved Electric Blue and Charcoal stitching.
Stationery
The stationery collection includes pencils, notepads, binders, notebooks and stationery cards. All of the products are in the Vera Bradley classic cotton patterns.
Limited editions
Vera Bradley has also come out with a variety limited edition accessories. Some of the limited editions include the pet collection, the Seaside Collection, the Tropical Silk Collection, the Jacquard Line, the 25th Anniversary Collection, the Island Collection, Beach Collection, and the Resort Collection.
The Vera Bradley Foundation
The Vera Bradley Foundation supports Breast Cancer Research. Sales from the Pink Elephants (retired), Pinwheel Pink, and Hope Garden prints benefit the organization.
References
- ^ a b c d Wellington, Elizabeth (August 23, 2007). "Vera Bradley bags: Blooming hot". The Philadelphia Inquirer. pp. E01.
- ^ Heher, Ashley (April 24, 2006), Younger Buyers Fuel Vera Bradley's Growth, The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/24/AR2006042400717.html, retrieved on 2008-02-17
- ^ "Company Information". http://www.verabradley.com/Site/Company/OurCompany.aspx. Retrieved on 2007-08-09.
