The Independent Handbag Designer Awards are back after a three-year hiatus.
Handbag designers are beaming with excitement as one of the most coveted prizes in the industry, the Independent Handbag Designer Awards, is up for grabs again for the first time since 2020.
Emily Blumenthal, who founded the initiative in 2007, took to Instagram to announce the news.
“The IHDA is BACK! I wanted to personally reach out to you and say that we have missed you all so much but our community is back, bigger and stronger than ever. We have so much coming to support your handbag journey whether you are just starting out, growing your existing brand, or are ready to scale.”
This year’s awards will feature the Signal Brands Collective, a 15-week programme that will see five selected independent handbag designers getting mentorship from Blumenthal.
“With the support of Signal Brands’ team and resources, designers will create their ‘hero bag’ mini collection of three silhouettes consisting of a tote, satchel, and crossbody, and will be provided a brand roadmap to have their bags retail-ready on a larger scale,” said Blumenthal.
So far, one South African handbag designer Adrian Furstenburg, has won the IHDA. Furstenburg took the honours in 2016, and the following year he was invited to the US to share his story of how the international award had changed his life.
“I left my job and started my own business. I launched my first collection in March. It was incredibly well received and I was one of the best sellers at the SA Fashion Week Luxury pop-up. I am delighted to have created employment in this county. My team and I are creating beautiful bags for our clients but we are also creating an amazing environment for ourselves,” he told IOL at the time.
Blumenthal is yet to announce when handbag designers can submit their entries for the competition.