Jeanne Lottie has been in business for more than 25 years, but that’s nothing compared to the history of our new customer: Monahan Jewelers. The Monahan family who own and run Monahan Co., Ltd have been in business for more than 194 years.

Operating out of scenic Cape Cod, MA, the Monahans have outfitted no less than 11 United States Presidents with their jewellery designs. Jeanne Lottie is honoured to be one of their suppliers. They are famous for bringing to America the design of the Irish Claddagh ring that features two hands holding a heart. The Claddagh ring, in case you’re not up on your Irish traditions, is a ring given as a symbol of both friendship and love – two things dear to our hearts at JL as well.

To find out more about them, check out the Monahan Jewelers’ website.

True Happiness is… to connect with history.

For those who have always been curious about what happens behind the scenes in the back rooms of a design house, we’ve put together a brief sketch of what goes on behind the scenes at Jeanne Lottie. In this blog, we’ll take a peek at how a bag goes from hazy idea to arm candy that you can wear out on the town.

Part 1: The Idea

Every Jeanne Lottie bag begins with an idea of a certain type of energy we want to bring to life. Sketch after sketch, the concept of the bag is refined until we come up with the right shape, colour, and details to reflect the mood we’re after. Once the sketch is finalized, we then move to the sample room where we choose materials and accessories to complement the bag. We send away for prototype bags to be made based on these choices.

Part 2: Selection

Once the samples come back from our manufacturers according to our specifications and sketches, it then goes through rigorous selection by a number of people important to our creation process. The prototype bags are lined up and judged like contestants in a beauty pageant. How will this bag make you feel? Does the side pocket fit a Blackberry? Did the colour turn out as we expected? We go back to the drawing board and make adjustments until the bag is the ideal combination of inspiration and practicality.

Part 3: The Final Step

Production is the final stage in the transformation from sketch to purse. Our manufacturers turn our specifications into a physical reality. Each bag on the production line is minutely inspected for quality control and carefully packaged before it begins its long journey. Once the bags arrive at our warehouses (home of many beautiful bags!), they are picked and packed for distribution to the stores in time for the new season.

From start to finish, it’s a long, careful process that begins with inspiration, which is whittled down to the best version of itself, and finally is made into reality. Et voila! A Jeanne Lottie bag is born!

We put special care into every bag that we make. We hope you love our bags as much as we do. Exclusively designed with the philosophy of true happiness from my thoughts…to your hands.

xoxo

Jane

Jeanne Lottie is proud to be a Pink Bag Lady!  There’s hardly anybody who hasn’t been affected by the financial woes of the world. We understand customers are not going to settle for less these days, but just want to shop smart. With fun and value in mind, Jeanne Lottie has opened an online outlet store www.pinkbaglady.com!

At PinkBagLady you’ll find 50%-80% off all regular merchandise. We are featuring our leather-lined Vertical City Tote in both grey and pink, which normally retails for $120, for only $39.99.

This front-lock tote is an everyday bag that will take you from summer to fall.  It comes with a detachable inner pouch and a decorative front-lock pocket. Canada-wide shipping is only $5.

Also, become a Facebook fan and get a chance to win this blue man key ring! This blue man is part of our Purse-onality key ring collection, and is our hottest seller at the Duty Free Shop across Canada and the U.S.!  The winner will be announced on June 30, 2010.  Spread the word!

Cheers,

the Jeanne Lottie Team

LouLou Magazine has featured another 3 JL bags in their Summer 2010 issue.

Jeanne Lottie bags are HOT! HOT! HOT!

Check out the larger photos below.

Vervegirl has featured our Spring/Summer 2010 Classic Hobo in Yellow in their Summer Fun Issue. JL’s classic hobo is an easy bag that’ll take you from the city sidewalk to the beach in style.

Click here for a closer look!

Check it out: . 3 of our hot bags are featured in Lou Lou Magazine’s Summer Issue.

1. Our hot handmade straw bags with roses for a summer stroll in the city,

2.  an easy cross-body military-style bag in distressed khaki, and

3. a sleek lucite clutch for a dinner out

3 bags in one magazine…thank you Lou Lou!

Click here for a closer look!

I was recently in China on a business trip and on the train ride to Guangzhou, I struck up a conversation with the most interesting cabin-mate. These days when most of us charge everything to a piece of plastic, this man does something very different: He carries an ounce of gold with him whenever he travels.

It’s different, right? Paper currency feels like monopoly money compared with a nugget of real gold. To me, the man on the train had a kind of old-world charm that existed when people wore fur and heels to lunch in the dining car of cross-country trains-rides. It’s like he lives in a world that’s more real, and more tangible. Almost like he stepped out of another time when you could touch and feel your financial security.

It’s such a great idea! Instead of carrying a bag that cost you as much as an ounce of gold, why not invest in the real thing?

Just think. I bet you can picture yourself on a train with a designer JL bag, a cool crystal ring on your hand, and an ounce of gold along with your spare change.

xoxo
Jane

Dear Readers,

We’re having our annual Spring Sample Sale next weekend, so get ready to ring in the great weather (and maybe stock up for Mother’s Day as well.)

Here are the details:

Dates:

Thursday May 6th & Friday May 7th from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Saturday May 8thfrom 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Location:

The Pink House at 32 Scollard Street (bewteen Yonge and Bay Streets)

If you’ll be coming, please RSVP to gillian[at]jeannelottie.com

Spring 2010 Collection - the Hobo Group

Hope to see you there!

Recently, a friend who works as a travel guide went down to Chile during the earthquake period with his tour group. His advice to keep them safe in case something should happen: wear your comfortable decent clothes in bed and have flip flops/croc at the end of the bed. Jeanne Lottie thought: Why not a flight bag with all your emergency needs on your bedside table?

We’re happy to report that everyone on the Chilean trip got home safe and sound. But it made us wonder: what would we take with us in an emergency situation? Here’s a list we came up with: ID, credit card, some cash, glasses, and cell phone. So we designed a bag to fit all the essentials in case you need to pick up quickly and go. Great for emergencies (knock on wood!), and perfect for travel.

This light and durable bag is available in black, dark brown and light brown.

Jeanne Lottie Flight Bag is priced at $65. Now on sale for $40.

True Happiness is…having the essentials.

Denim is big this season, and Jeanne Lottie loves it! Clothing designers are showing head-to-toe denim, but that may not be for everybody. If you’re looking for a way to work a little more denim into your wardrobe, but are wary of the full denim suit, check out our new summer denim bags.

Studded with crystals, and chain-link, these washed denim bags feel like silk to the touch. Jeanne Lottie’s denim bags are available in hobo and satchel shapes.

Summer shouldn’t be fussy. Here’s a casual, easy bag for the season.

Available at selected stores and online starting May.
Priced at $65.