Santa Barbara-based designer Kendall Conrad conceived the idea for her company 15 years ago while in pursuit of the perfect carryall. “I was pregnant, and I couldn’t find bags that I wanted to wear,” says Conrad, who now has boutiques in Venice, Brentwood, and Montecito. “I had an idea for a bag, and took it to a local saddlemaker to make it. Then, I had more and more ideas, and my friends wanted them.”

Now, several years since she designed her initial handbag, Conrad has amassed an eponymous line that includes shoes, leather cuffs, and brass jewelry. Starting tomorrow, Conrad will debut her newest additions during a two-day trunk show held at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills. “What’s great about this event is that you will see the whole range of my collection,” she says, noting that her Martingala strappy leather sandals will sit beside wooden bangles and slouchy shoulder bags in hues such as olive, bisque, and black suede. “The Segovia bag in cognac suede is my personal favorite for summer with clean lines and a 1970s vibe.”

“I’m excited to see how it all looks,” says Conrad of her first trunk show at Barneys. “The best part of what I do is taking an idea from inception to execution, and then seeing the pieces worn by my customers and friends, and watching how they integrate them into their wardrobes to fit their personal style, and make it their own.”

By Jennie Nunn

Pictured: Kendall Conrad
Photo courtesy of Kendall Conrad

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