After many years of designing and manufacturing in the fashion industry, I decided to venture into retail and open my own boutique in the heart of Koreatown; just a few blocks away from Downtown Los Angeles. My boutique was near the visa consulate office and I had several customers who were international travelers.  They all came looking to buy gifts to take home – but not just any gift. They were specifically looking for items that were ‘Made in America’. Initially, it was difficult to accommodate the shoppers since most of the merchandise I carried was shipped from overseas. Majority of American designer handbags are manufactured in China. So, I thought to myself, “Why not create an All-American handbag and name it after one of the oldest cities in the country?”

And the Baltimore Bag Company (BBC) was born!

Because majority of manufacturing is done overseas, finding a leather manufacturer in America proved to be an extreme challenge. We didn’t want the quality of the bags to suffer at the expense of production. For that reason, all Baltimore Bags are handcrafted locally and fashioned with American leather by American craftsmen.