Designer Suzan Lee Turns Exotic Handbags into Everyday Luxury

When the stars aligned, and she decided to follow her dream of launching her own luxury exotic handbags collection, exotic skins became her signature material. Now, this Southern California-based designer is turning the exotic into an everyday luxury item.

“Exotic handbags used to sit on the shelf and just be brought out for special occasions,” says Lee. “I make the design of my bags functional, roomy, user-friendly and inviting for everyday use.”

The designer’s love of fashion goes back to her early years, when Lee would sit and watch her mother sew the family’s clothes. When her mother was done, Lee would take the scraps of remnant fabric and sew them together to make patchwork clothes and bags for her dolls. As she grew older and more adept with a needle and thread, she de-signed and made totes and bags for herself and her friends. This ignited a passion for creating her own unique pieces.

Gifted with a keen, artistic eye, Lee began her career focused on commercial interior design. “I love architecture and building something from nothing. When I see a blank space, my immediate instinct is to break it up into smaller intimate segments that are visually inviting and welcoming of inclusion,” she shares. Her overall attention to de-tail and discerning taste helped prepare her for turning her love of luxury handbags into a business.

So, how did Lee make the leap from handbag collector and interior designer to starting her namesake luxury brand? About eight years ago Lee was visiting Seoul, Korea, where she happened to connect with a third-generation handbag manufacturing com-pany that specializes in exotic leathers. Coincidence? Lee doesn’t think so. She ended up working with them to perfect a new type of design made from exotic skins—it was then that the Suzan Lee exotic handbag brand was born.

Lee strives to create luxurious, user-friendly bags that fit the modern woman’s lifestyle. A mother of four, she focuses on crafting statement pieces that are not only beautiful, but also durable enough to withstand daily use.

Lee works hard at anticipating what her customers need and finds her design inspira-tion by observing people and how they use their exotic bags. “I like to think that my bags fit both function and beauty in a way that only the person carrying exotic purses can explain,” she says. The majority of Suzan Lee customers own other designer bags and are look-ing for something unique, as well as functional. More recently, she has added accesso-ries such as fancy purse straps and card cases to her collection, plus a line of men’s backpacks.

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While Lee has trouble choosing her favorite handbag design, she puts the Suzan Lee zip-top handbag in exotic crocodile leather at the top of her list for everyday versatility. “It’s truly the most functional bag that anyone could ask for!” she says emphatically. And it comes in several colors, whether you prefer more classic neutrals for everyday or making a color statement.