Smells Like School Spirit
When it comes to designing quality collegiate purses, it looks like these sisters-in-law have bagged a winner.
What: High-end handbags
emblazoned with college logos
Who: Linda McMahan Gunning and
Sue Craft McMahan of Bagalogos!
Where: Austin, Texas
When: September 2002
Linda McMahan Gunning was inundated with compliments on the
University of Texas handbag she used to carry to university events.
Though the bag, which she picked up at a local store, was roughly
made and not properly licensed with the college, it drew a lot of
attention from other women and fans.
As an attorney, McMahan Gunning soon realized that if she could
obtain the licensing rights for collegiate logos and design her own
line of high-end handbags emblazoned with school emblems, there
would be quite a demand for her products. She decided to cold-call
the University of Texas to pitch her unique concept.
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"They said, 'If you can do all this, we think it's
a great idea. We'll take a chance with you,'" recalls
McMahan Gunning, 55. With those encouraging words in mind, she
enlisted the help of her sister-in-law and avid fashion lover, Sue
Craft McMahan, 36, to join her in the logo handbag venture.
Interestingly enough, obtaining licensing agreements wasn't
the biggest challenge during start-up; finding a manufacturer and
researching what women really want in a handbag proved to be the
major hurdles. They canvassed not only college-age women, but also
alumni and families of students.
When the pair designed four different types of bags— large
tote bag, a smaller baguette bag, a crescent-shaped handbag and a
bolder game-day bag— marked with the University of Texas
emblem, the favorable responses they received were
overwhelming.
Today, with sales into the mid-six figures, Bagalogos! bags can
be found at www.bagalogos.com and at high-end boutiques and
college bookstores. Schools on the company's roster include the
University of Alabama, Oklahoma State University campuses, Texas
A&M University campuses and Texas Tech University; the partners
plan to add seven more schools in 2004. They've also set their
sights on other big-name schools with high-profile and loyal
alumni. Talk about higher learning.
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