Hometown Heroes: Doug NeJaime and Tracy Fredkin

When two friends team up to make their hobby a full-time job, the result is a stunning selection of coveted handbags.



Most people who put in the time and dedication to be a lawyer become lawyers through and through, working the 80-hour work weeks and wear the ghost-like tan that comes along with spending so much time indoors. But when Tracy Fredkin and Doug NeJaime met and recognized they had a mutual passion for fashion, they decided to make the time to collaborate on a beautiful and classic line of handbags they call Tucker Paisley.

So why did the dup decided to focus on purses? Says Tracy , "I was always buying too many for myself, and Doug was always buying too many for his mom and sister. So we thought, why not start designing and producing our own? We also saw a distinct hole in the market when it came to well-made bags that mixed fabric and leather and offered something different. We wanted to introduce interesting patterns and textures and colors to the handbag market at prices that would allow our customers to buy them as pieces to really make an outfit."

And make an outfit they do. Doug and Tracy draw their inspiration from tapestries in L.A.'s amazing fabric shops, New England beach prints, East Asian textiles and traditional paisley prints. The result is a fashion forward bag that attracts a fashion forward customer, intent on finding that one piece that completes her wardrobe in a signature but unique way.

One of the most popular pieces in their line, the Molly Tote, was the first bag they designed for their signature line. "We think it's the most unique and interesting bag in our signature line," says Doug. "It easily goes from day to night, is lightweight and spacious, and has a great sense of sophistication and style. The detailed leather handle mixed with our Signature Pattern is striking in black on cream. The tote will catch people's eyes. It really represents the image we were trying to project with our signature line." And it seems the customers are catching on. The Molly Tote has been repeatedly selling out, especially after it made an appearance on Katherine Heigl's arm at the Dreamgirls premiere.

The key to any successful partnership, according to Doug and Tracy, is good communication. The two have to agree on every design they create, with an aim to ensure their new creations add to the line, keeping it fresh and new. Of course, the company has plenty of time to grow – Tucker Paisley is just about to debut their second line, adding more colors and textures as well as accessories and specialty bags. "We really wanted the debut collection to have a singular focus on our Signature Pattern since the pattern is meant to be the core of the line – we think our first line accomplished this task while still providing enough variety to our customers," says Tracy . "We'll never lose the classic roots of the Signature Pattern, but we'll constantly be thinking about ways to update it and use it in unexpected ways."

But don't ask them to name their favorite bag – they can't play favorites.

"All of the bags are special to us because they're named after important women in our lives," says Doug. "For that reason, the Julia and Molly are especially meaningful to me, and the Henne, Trinka, and Kimberly are special to Tracy . Of course, the five pieces from our original, signature collection also hold sentimental value because they represent all of our hard work in designing and rolling out our debut line."

With a brand new line and the hint of new things to come – Says Tracy, "We'd love to do a collection of travel bags. We think our Signature Pattern would add some fashion life to the otherwise dreary airport landscape." – we can't wait to see what they do next.

For online shopping and location information, visit TuckerPaisley.com.