Legendary handbag designer Mariza Scotch visited Hofstra University to talk about her career in high-end fashion.

Bag designer Mariza Scotch asks “Handbags: do we actually need them?”

Having worked as a handbag designer for companies such as Mark Cross, Ralph Lauren, Tod’s and Kate Spade, Mariza Scotch had plenty of advice and knowledge to give on her experience working with prestigious high fashion brands. Scotch visited Hofstra University on Feb. 20, as a part of the Fashion Magic series presented by the university’s new Institute for Public Humanities and Arts. Scotch allowed Hofstra students, staff and faculty to listen and ask questions about her decorated fashion history. 

With her strong background in the luxury handbag industry, Scotch began with the question, “Handbags: do we actually need them?” She guided the audience through her process of designing a bag. When she was hired as a designer at Tod’s, an Italian fashion brand, Scotch was tasked with a vague job. She was asked to make an “It” bag. The company was familiar with the shoe industry more than handbags, but Tod’s old designer created the “Di bag.” Scotch described the bag as “very masculine, constructed and rigid.” She explained the history of handbags originating from Orion’s belt to Greek soldiers wearing satchels. “I want you to reinvent this bag,” Tod’s asked Scotch. Taking the bags masculine and highly gendered history, Scotch’s goal was to bring sensuality, pleasure and femininity into the “Di bag.”

During her discussion of the design process, controversial topics emerged. Her re-design of Tod’s “Di bag” involved using real rabbit and alligator skin. Scotch acknowledged the challenging conversation around the use of animals for high fashion. The feminized “Di bag” cost up to $18,000. 

Kai Frey, a senior drama major, asked Scotch, “Do you feel as though the lack of accessibility is deployed by the fashion world to quietly discriminate against those who cannot afford bags like these?” 

Scotch referred to the giant system that is the fashion industry as one that is not purposefully trying to make others feel terrible. She admitted that in a capitalist society, “there is a built-in structural system that creates a need to identify with a certain level of status based on things that we acquire.”

Scotch discussed racial discrimination in the fashion world as well. During a particular point in her career, “there was practically no diversity.” She was once confronted by an American chief executive officer (CEO) at a German company and told she was not allowed to cast a Black model for an advertisement she was the creative director for. According to Scotch, she was told that it was “because the German market would find it upsetting.” Scotch admitted that if she were confronted with this discrimination now, she would have handled it differently. 

“At the time, I did not have the resources initially to handle that the way I would now,” Scotch said. “I’m sharing it with you because this kind of thing still happens, and it is 100% unacceptable and I think it’s really important to talk about it.” 

Gabriela Padin, junior anthropology major, asked Scotch, “In your opinion, what article of clothing tells you [the] most information about someone or something you inscribe personality to – or identity?” 

Scotch responded, “There is such an interesting discourse that we could have about what shoes mean about communicating. It’s really similar to bags in that way.”

A highlight from Scotch’s incredibly established career was her design of a bag for celebrities who attend events with many moving parts and last-minute outfit changes. 

“I designed literally a rectangle,” Scotch said. It was a rectangle that could be customized with hardware and beading. She was scouted by Kate Spade who bought her rectangle design, completely transforming the brand. Her success at Kate Spade brought her to the Italian brand Ferragamo where she designed the “Sofia Bag.” 

Her “Sofia Bag” was originally criticized and was almost not produced. Scotch fought for her design and the handbag became infamous in the designer world. 

To answer Scotch’s question “Handbags: do we actually need them?” The answer was a definitive “No,” according to Scotch. On the other hand, she noted, “Do we all end up having some relationship with them? I would say yes” – a relationship involving identity.