Bag of Tricks One handbag creator's secret formula for success: Make your products fun, fashionable and fully customizable.

What: Line of create-your-own handbags
Who: Jennifer Velarde of 1154 Lill Studio
Where: Chicago
When: Started in 1999

Some women are notorious for having a bag to match every outfit.Jennifer Velarde, on the other hand, has a bag to match nearlyevery friend. Each design in her line of custom-made handbags isnamed for a friend, a family member or an employee of her company,1154 Lill Studio. Andi, the hobo bag, was inspired by a closefriend. Pamela, a versatile tote, is named for her mother.

Velarde's background as an interior designer specializing incorporate offices helped her implement the idea, which she came upwith as a way to gain independence from her job. "It seemednatural to give [each] handbag a personality, and who better toname them after than friends and family?" Velarde says."The hard part is when you have to discontinue one."