Vera Bradley

Last updated
Vera Bradley Sales, LLC
Vera Bradley
Type Public company
Founded1982;41 years ago (1982)
FounderPatricia Miller and Barbara Bradley Baekgaard
Headquarters Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S.
Number of locations
130 (January 2023) - 51 Full Line stores and 79 Factory stores
Key people
Jacqueline Ardrey (CEO)
Michael Schwindle (CFO)
Products handbags, luggage, fashion accessories
Revenue US$540.5 million (fiscal 2022)
Number of employees
Approximately 2,180 (January 2023)
Website verabradley.com

Vera Bradley Sales, LLC (d.b.a. Vera Bradley) is an American luggage and handbag design company, founded by Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller in 1982. [1] As of 2019, its home office is in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The company was named after Baekgaard's mother. [2] Its original luxury [3] cotton bag product lines have expanded to include fashion and home accessories, office supplies, and patterned gifts. Many items have distinctive florals, paisleys, or geometric prints with complementary linings, as well as elongated diamond quilting. The patterns were originally inspired by French Provençal country fabrics [3] and have limited seasonal releases each year. In September 2022, the company named Jacqueline Ardrey as their new CEO. [4]

Contents

Company creation and growth

A selection of open Vera Bradley products with traditional contrasting cotton fabrics and distinctive diamond stitching VeraBradleySelection.jpg
A selection of open Vera Bradley products with traditional contrasting cotton fabrics and distinctive diamond stitching

The founders, Baekgaard and Miller, met in 1975 in Fort Wayne. Baekgaard was redecorating her home by hanging wallpaper when Miller, who was new to the area, came over to her house and introduced herself. Baekgaard asked for help hanging the wallpaper and this experience developed into a wallpapering company they created, called Up Your Wall. Eventually the pair started selling clothing together through trunk shows at homes. While traveling back from Florida through an airport prior to a spring trunk show, they noticed the bland, masculine carry-on bags that many travelers were using and thought that women would want to use something brighter and more feminine. Once back in Indiana, they borrowed a total of $500 from their husbands, bought some fabrics inspired by the Pierre Deux French Provençal look popular at the time, and had a seamstress friend develop prototype bags. They disassociated the bags from the clothing they sold in order to find out what the demand would be if the customers were not aware the bags were produced by them, calling them "Vera Bradley", after Baekgaard's mother. The bags sold well, and family members ran the business out of Baekgaard's basement, with the first logo for the company being created by Baekgaard's teenage daughter, and mother Vera becoming a sales representative in Florida. [5]

Vera Bradley store interior, Jefferson Pointe in Ft. Wayne, IN F17 JeffersonPoint Store Seating 1.tif
Vera Bradley store interior, Jefferson Pointe in Ft. Wayne, IN

Vera Bradley Designs was incorporated on November 15, 1982.

The majority of bags were initially sold through small shops as well as Marshall Field's. The business did not have issues with selling the bags, but did encounter difficulty keeping up with the demand. They hired local seamstresses as well as provided a loan for the creation of Phoenix Sewing, a company dedicated to making Vera Bradley products. Phoenix Sewing was under contract to not produce other products unless their board agreed to do so, and Baekgaard and Miller were board members. Eventually several sewing companies formed and expanded in the area to produce the products. [5]

Vera Bradley store exterior F17 JeffersonPoint Store Outside5.jpg
Vera Bradley store exterior

A news story on Good Morning America generated more interest in the products when it featured an interview with college students about various campus trends, and one of the sorority girls had a Vera Bradley bag. [5]

Continued growth was initiated when the company started selling online in 2004. Small shop owners who had helped the company gain its market early on were disgruntled, but the Vera Bradley owners claimed the wider exposure would be able to drive more people to the small shops, when they might have overlooked them previously. [5]

The annual Spring Outlet Sale in Fort Wayne proved to be so popular that in 2005, the company sold out of products and the next year, a per-person spending cap was initiated.

In an attempt to appeal to millennial buyers, who perceived the goods as not pertinent to their lifestyles, the brand was refreshed. The logo was updated, goods made of microfiber and leather were introduced, technical accessories such as bags with grommets and pockets for charging electrical devices and computer and tablet bags were made, and advertising was done on Hulu, Pandora Radio, and Spotify as well as in Glamour and InStyle magazines. Licensing deals were made with other companies to use Vera Bradley designs on their goods. The initial "#itsgoodtobeagirl" campaign was perceived as patronizing and old-fashioned, [3] but was quickly amended to portray women in active, unusual jobs and promoted the company's image as being socially conscious. [6]

In 2019, the company purchased a 75% stakeholder share in Creative Genius, parent company of Pura Vida Bracelets, a bracelet company based in La Jolla, California. They have the option to purchase the remainder of the company in 2024. [7] [8]

Overseas production expansion

Circa 2007, the company started to employ overseas manufacturing to lower costs and keep up with demand. As a result, several US-based sewing companies, including Superior Sample, Phoenix Sewing, and one of their oldest partners, KAM Manufacturing, had to reduce their workforce or close their facilities altogether. [5] In 2008, customers started to aggressively inquire about where their products were being made, after making online complaints that the labeling said China instead of the US. When they were directed to the company's website, it stated that most products were manufactured within 90 minutes distance from the Fort Wayne area, and a company representative said that production fluctuates at locations according to consumer demand. [5]

The company has expressed concern regarding potential difficulty in dealing with tariffs the Trump administration has considered on goods imported from China. In a 2018 letter to United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Steve Bohman, the Vice President of Global Sourcing for Vera Bradley, stated that "Between 2014 and our expectations for 2019, we will have reduced our China-based production from approximately 95% to under 50%, a r." but "In approximately 21% of our categories, there is not a viable alternative supply outside of China." The letter requested the removal of the category of import tariffs that would affect their products. A retail analyst stated that if the tariffs remained, it would provide an incentive to move production of the goods to yet another country instead of bringing production back into the US, due to a lack of sewing companies based in the US. [9] The company had already started moving production from China to Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam, but due to the tariff issue, sped up the move to the other manufacturing locations. [10]

Counterfeiting and design piracy

Despite licensing to many different purveyors, due to the popularity of the designs, the company has had issues with other companies manufacturing replica goods. In 2005, Vera Bradley brought a suit against Target (which was later settled out of court) for using designs resembling their copyrighted ones on various articles of clothing. [11] In 2018, Amazon and Vera Bradley jointly filed suits against sellers who were importing and selling bags on Amazon that were verified as being counterfeit. [12] [13]

Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer

Mary Sloan, longtime friend to Baekgaard and Miller and one of the company's first sales representatives, died in the early 1990s from breast cancer; both her mother and grandmother had died from the disease as well. [1] In 1993, Baekgaard and Miller initiated contributions to assist in funding research for a cure for breast cancer with a portion of Vera Bradley profits. The Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer was created in 1998 and sponsors the annual Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer Classic, which is a multiple-day fundraising event with yoga, golf, and tennis or pickleball (which replaced tennis in 2019), finally concluding with a dinner. [14] As of 2015, it was the largest amateur women's golf and tennis charity tournament in the country. [1] The public and corporate sponsors are invited to volunteer and donate. The company also produces special Breast Cancer Awareness fabric patterns that have the color pink as a main component. Funds collected from the activities and donations go to the Vera Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana. [15] [16] [17] Posts from the cancer researchers and Vera Bradley on Facebook, Instagram and the company's blog were used to help recruit patients for clinical trials. [18] Research information is published on the website of the Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center at Indiana University for scientists to be able to collaborate toward a cure. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Textile</span> Various fiber-based materials

Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the only manufacturing method, and many other methods were later developed to form textile structures based on their intended use. Knitting and non-woven are other popular types of fabric manufacturing. In the contemporary world, textiles satisfy the material needs for versatile applications, from simple daily clothing to bulletproof jackets, spacesuits, and doctor's gowns.

A tariff is a tax imposed by the government of a country or by a supranational union on imports or exports of goods. Besides being a source of revenue for the government, import duties can also be a form of regulation of foreign trade and policy that taxes foreign products to encourage or safeguard domestic industry. Protective tariffs are among the most widely used instruments of protectionism, along with import quotas and export quotas and other non-tariff barriers to trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sewing machine</span> Machine used to stitch fabric

A sewing machine is a machine used to sew fabric and materials together with thread. Sewing machines were invented during the first Industrial Revolution to decrease the amount of manual sewing work performed in clothing companies. Since the invention of the first sewing machine, generally considered to have been the work of Englishman Thomas Saint in 1790, the sewing machine has greatly improved the efficiency and productivity of the clothing industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Machine embroidery</span> Technique of embroidering with a sewing machine or purpose-made embroidering machine

Machine embroidery is an embroidery process whereby a sewing machine or embroidery machine is used to create patterns on textiles. It is used commercially in product branding, corporate advertising, and uniform adornment. It is also used in the fashion industry to decorate garments and apparel. Machine embroidery is used by hobbyists and crafters to decorate gifts, clothing, and home decor. Examples include designs on quilts, pillows, and wall hangings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Export</span> Goods produced in one country that are sold to another country

An export in international trade is a good produced in one country that is sold into another country or a service provided in one country for a national or resident of another country. The seller of such goods or the service provider is an exporter; the foreign buyers is an importer. Services that figure in international trade include financial, accounting and other professional services, tourism, education as well as intellectual property rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pattern (sewing)</span> Template from which the parts of a garment are traced onto fabric before being cut out

In sewing and fashion design, a pattern is the template from which the parts of a garment are traced onto woven or knitted fabrics before being cut out and assembled. Patterns are usually made of paper, and are sometimes made of sturdier materials like paperboard or cardboard if they need to be more robust to withstand repeated use. The process of making or cutting patterns is sometimes compounded to the one-word Patternmaking, but it can also be written pattern(-)making or pattern cutting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merrow Sewing Machine Company</span>

The Merrow Sewing Machine Company, best known for inventing the overlock sewing machine, is a manufacturer of sewing machines. After the explosion of his gunpowder mill in 1837, in 1838 J.M. Merrow built a knitting mill on the same site. The company developed crocheting machines for its own use and by 1887 evolved to design, build and market sewing machines exclusively. During its early decades it was organized as a partnership under various names: established in 1838 as Joseph M. Merrow & Sons by J. Makens Merrow, then Pitkin, Merrow, & Co., renamed Merrow Manufacturing Co. in 1857, then Merrow and Millard in 1863, J.B. Merrow and Sons in 1870, and incorporated as The Merrow Manufacturing Company in 1893. Originally all of its manufacturing was done at facilities in Merrow, Connecticut, and then in Hartford, Connecticut, after 1894. The company is currently based in Fall River, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cordura</span> Trademark for a group of high-performance fabrics developed by DuPont and now owned by Invista

Cordura is a collection of synthetic fiber-based fabric technologies used in a wide array of products including luggage, backpacks, trousers, military wear and performance apparel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nonwoven fabric</span> Sheet of fibers

Nonwoven fabric is a fabric-like material made from staple fibre (short) and long fibres, bonded together by chemical, mechanical, heat or solvent treatment. The term is used in the textile manufacturing industry to denote fabrics, such as felt, which are neither woven nor knitted. Some non-woven materials lack sufficient strength unless densified or reinforced by a backing. In recent years, non-wovens have become an alternative to polyurethane foam.

Bernina International AG is a privately owned international manufacturer of sewing and embroidery systems. The company was founded in Steckborn, Switzerland, by a Swiss inventor Fritz Gegauf. The company develops, manufactures, and sells goods and services for the textile market, primarily household sewing-related products in the fields of embroidery, quilting, home textiles, garment sewing, and crafting. The origins of the company lie in the invention of the hemstitch sewing machine, invented in 1893 by a Swiss inventor and entrepreneur Karl Friedrich Gegauf. Currently, the company's products include sewing machines, embroidery machines, serger/overlocker machines, and computer software for embroidery design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rickrack</span> Braided zigzag trim used in clothes or curtains

Rickrack is a flat piece of braided trim, shaped like a zigzag. It is used as a decorative element in clothes or curtains. Before the prevalence of sewing machines and overlockers, rickrack was used to provide a finished edge to fabric, and its popularity was in part due to its sturdiness and ability to stand up to harsh washing conditions. Rickrack is produced using a variety of fibers, including cotton, polyester, wool, and metallic fibers, and is sold in a variety of sizes and colors.

Nancy L. Zieman was an American author and designer widely known as the host of the television show Sewing with Nancy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bemis Company</span> American materials company

Bemis Company, Inc. was a global manufacturer of flexible packaging products and pressure-sensitive materials. Bemis was headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin in the United States. Its divisions were located in 12 countries and its films for packaging products and adhesive materials were distributed worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breast Cancer Awareness Month</span> Annual health campaign

Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM), also referred to in the United States as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolt (cloth)</span> Roll of fabric

A bolt is a piece of cloth woven on a loom or created by a knitting machine, as it is processed, stored and/or marketed. Consequently, its dimensions are highly variable – flexible and dependent upon the manufacturing, machinery, quantity, size, thickness and quality of the product. It is a unit used in manufacturing, transport and inventory. It is also used as a descriptor for wallpaper, which uses different fabrication machinery. Being encompassing, it is by its nature a generic and ambiguous term of convenience and context, used to describe fabric and wallpaper.

Celltrion, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Incheon, South Korea. Celltrion Healthcare conducts worldwide marketing, sales, and distribution of biological medicines developed by Celltrion. Celltrion's founder, Seo Jung-jin, is the richest person in South Korea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pura Vida Bracelets</span>

Pura Vida Bracelets is a La Jolla, California–based company that sells hand-crafted bracelets and jewelry online and through boutique stores. It was founded in 2010 by Griffin Thall and Paul Goodman, who discovered the bracelets while on a vacation in Costa Rica.

Barbara Bradley Baekgaard is the co-founder, designer, and former Chief Creative Officer of Vera Bradley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feed sack dress</span> Womens dress made from cotton sacks

Feed sack dresses, flour sack dresses, or feedsack dresses were a common article of clothing in rural US and Canadian communities from the late 19th century through the mid 20th century. They were made at home, usually by women, using the cotton sacks in which flour, sugar, animal feed, seeds, and other commodities were packaged, shipped, and sold. They became an iconic part of rural life from the 1920s through the Great Depression, World War II, and post-World War II years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bananatex</span> A biodegradable fabric made from Abacá banana plant fibres

Bananatex is a natural cellulosic biodegradable "technical" canvas fabric made of Abacá banana plant fibres. The plants are grown in the Philippines as part of a sustainable forestry project in Catanduanes. Bananatex was developed and is distributed by the Swiss canvas goods company QWSTION and is used in the company's own products as well as in other companies' manufactured goods. Bananatex was developed to have better wear characteristics than cotton while being more sustainable. It is less durable than synthetics like Cordura, and can biodegrade. Bananatex is sold in a range of colours and is available with or without a natural beeswax waterproof coating.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Bluhm, Warren (2015-10-20). "A hope for a cure". Green Bay Press-Gazette . Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  2. ↑ "About Us". www.verabradley.com. Retrieved 2019-12-07.
  3. 1 2 3 Tindera, Michela (2016-10-09). "Can Vera Bradley Bag Millennials?". Forbes . Retrieved 2020-01-03.
  4. ↑ journals, biz. "Vera Bradley chooses new CEO".
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wimmer Schwarb, Amy (June 2009). "Vera Bradley's True Colors". Indianapolis Monthly. Archived from the original on 2020-01-06. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  6. ↑ Halzack, Sarah (2016-09-07). "Vera Bradley is beloved by teens and boomers. Now, millennials, it's coming for you". The Washington Post . Retrieved 2020-01-03.
  7. ↑ Concepcion, Mariel (2019-06-24). "Vera Bradley Acquires 75% Stake in Pura Vida". San Diego Business Journal . Retrieved 2020-01-01.
  8. ↑ Wu, Jasmine (2019-06-20). "Vera Bradley acquires a majority stake in online jewelry store Pura Vida Bracelets". CNBC . Retrieved 2020-01-01.
  9. ↑ Horton, Samantha (2018-09-20). "Latest Tariffs To Hit Indiana-Based Luxury Handbag Maker Vera Bradley". WBAA . Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  10. ↑ Holman, Jordyn (2019-05-10). "Coach Bags Languish in Vietnam Port in Painful Tariff Workaround". Bloomberg News . Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  11. ↑ Metcalf, Lauren (2009-11-11). "Target: Fashionistas Benefit from Lax Copyright & Trademark Laws". Journal of Business & Intellectual Property Law. Wake Forest University School of Law . Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  12. ↑ Fox Rubin, Ben (2018-03-08). "Amazon goes after alleged Vera Bradley and OtterBox fakes". CNET . Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  13. ↑ Nickelsburg, Monica (2018-03-08). "Amazon files lawsuits over counterfeit Vera Bradley purses and Otterbox phone cases". GeekWire . Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  14. ↑ "Vera Bradley Classic raises over $1M for breast cancer research". WANE-TV. 2019-06-03. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  15. ↑ "About the Vera Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research at IU School of Medicine". Indiana University School of Medicine. 2018-06-05. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  16. ↑ "About Us". verabradley.org. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  17. ↑ "Vera Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research". Indiana University School of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  18. ↑ LeBlanc, Matthew (2019-12-22). "Facebook helps clinical trials for IU, Vera Bradley". The Journal Gazette . Retrieved 2020-01-31.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.