15 May 2010, Posted by admin in 20 Questions,Fashion, 0 Comments

20 Questions With Sang A

Name: Sang A Im-Propp

Job Title: Founer and CEO of Sang A handbags

Brimming with exotic materials such as python, fox fur and crocodile, handbag designer Sang A Im-Propp’s Soho showroom screams modern luxury. Im-Propp’s beautifully crafted handbags marry the finest materials (she uses the same skins as Hermès) with contemporary design. A former actress and singer in Korea (by the age of 26 she had released three albums), Im-Propp studied at Parsons School of Design and interned for VPL designer Victoria Bartlett before launching her own line in 2006. In this edition of 20 Questions, she explains how her previous career as an entertainer prepared her for her current role as a designer, how the recession has impacted luxury businesses, and why discipline and hard work are so important.

Jennifer Sung: You started out in the entertainment industry as a Korean actress and singer. Why the career switch?

Sang A Im-Propp: I came  [to the US] on a business trip and stayed in New York for about a month for business meetings when I was younger. Afterwards, I wanted to take some time off to go to school. I actually went to NYU to study film and while I was living in New York, I realized I really wanted to do something in New York and build something here. I actually started with cooking to become a chef but four months later, I dropped that and started studying at Parsons [School of Design] to become a designer.

JS: Did your previous work experience as a Korean actress and singer prepare you for your current career in fashion and if so, how?

SI: Yes, it definitely prepared me for my career in fashion. I think fashion and entertainment are extremely connected. I’ve always loved fashion and I worked with designers on a daily basis as a Korean entertainer. I never thought I would necessarily be living in New York as a designer, but I had always worked very closely with my personal stylist. Also, having grown up dancing and performing, I developed a [strong] work ethic. I think it’s important to have a strong work ethic to succeed in fashion.

JS: You studied at Parsons School of Design and worked for stylist and designer Victoria Bartlett. Can you share your experience and how that might have played a role in your decision to launch your own line?

SI: I was studying at Parsons at the time and was taking a fashion business strategy class when I really started to think about launching an accessories and handbag line. I learned a lot from Victoria Bartlett, but it was very difficult at first because my English was not very good at the time. It was a great place to be though; she works with many influential people in the industry. It’s really funny because I’m working on a project right now where I’ve been asked to collaborate with her [so I’ve come full circle].

JS: What makes Sang A handbags different and unique from other handbags?

SI: When I started my own line, I started with a very niche product and market, which happens to compete with large upscale brands like Hermès and Armani and Chloe and Gucci. There are not a lot of young designers who are in the high-end luxury market, yet I think I have a different perspective. While it’s not easy to sell $15,000 alligator bags, at the same time, I don’t have thousands of competitors.

JS: Are elements from your previous experiences reflected in your work?

SI: Yes, my personal experiences are very different from a traditional American designer and its reflected in my work. I come from a different field and I never grew up surrounded by these luxuries so I started with very fresh eyes. I also traveled a lot through Europe in my previous career [where I discovered] a wonderful French company (that’s actually owned by Hermès). When I visited, they had these beautiful alligator skins that I knew I had to use. I kept looking at the tiny swatches they had given me and finally my husband told me to just go for it. So he gave me that final push to make an alligator bag.

JS: You were born and raised in Korea. Why did you decide to launch your line in New York rather than in Korea?

SI: I worked hard for more than ten years to be here and I like to challenge myself. I started studying here in New York and this is where I decided to become a designer. [I knew] if I wanted to make it [as a successful designer], I would have to be in New York where everybody wants to be. If I became a designer in Korea, I think most people would think that I was another celebrity who was just designing a handbag collection on the side, and I really wanted to start from scratch.

JS: You were awarded the Samsung Fashion Design Award in 2008. How did that play a role in the launch of your business?

SI: I was thrilled. It was really interesting and a great learning experience for me because when you win, you are required collaborate with Samsung. Having never worked for a company before in my life, it was very interesting to see how such a big corporation operates and works.

JS: What was the biggest surprise or challenge when you first launched your line?

SI: My career [in Korea as an actress and singer] was a very easy and seamless experience. I was always being approached with new projects and I remember immediately being cast in a role as a main character for a soap opera. I didn’t struggle [as an actress] in Korea because I jumped right into the lead role. So when I launched my own line in New York, all of a sudden, I was being told I’m not important. I wasn’t expecting [immediate success] but I’ve had four appointments cancel on me on the same day. I didn’t really have an idea when I started of how difficult it would be. Giving up was not an option though. It’s not in my nature.

JS: Who do you make your handbags for? Who is your target customer?

SI: A Sang A woman lives uptown or downtown. She could live in the Lower East Side or the West Village. She goes high and low. She can afford to shop at Barneys but will also shop at Target or Topshop. She also knows how to make things fun.

JS: Where do you find inspiration for your handbags?

SI: I find inspiration everywhere. I get inspired by my daughter and women walking on the streets of New York–everyone from tourists to older women who are dressed up. If I see someone who is styled well, I get very inspired.  Sometimes it’s very random and I love that.

JS: Which products or categories are bestsellers?

SI: When I started out, my Jade bag, which is named after my daughter’s best friend, was a bestseller. My signature piece is the Flash clutch, which has a slanted parallelogram shape. It’s very different and it is my favorite clutch.

JS: Your bags have been seen on the arms of many celebrities including Rihanna and Jessica Simpson and featured on TV shows including “Gossip Girl” and “Ugly Betty”. How were you able to build such a strong celebrity following and how does it impact your business?

SI: Having a strong celebrity following definitely impacts my business.  Everybody [just] expects you to have celebrity fans, especially [when you make] luxury handbags. I am very lucky. For example, Jessica Simpson [bought my bag one day] and she was photographed with my bag at a club that night. It was shown everywhere the next day.

JS: How has the recession impacted the luxury consumer and businesses like yours?

SI: The recession has certainly affected my business. I used to only use python for my snakeskin bags but I’ve become more open minded to other [less expensive] skins and smaller skins like eel. I’ve realized it’s all about how you treat and finish the skin. I know people who I can [rely on for] great finishes that can make bags with these skins [just] as beautiful as my bags made of more expensive skins. Also, because I’m still a small growing company, I didn’t have much left over inventory to deal with. Compared to the rest of the fashion industry, I think we have been doing very well because my bags are investment pieces; they are high quality and will not go out of fashion. People are still looking for great investment pieces [in a recession].

JS: Based on your experiences, what do you think are some of the most important factors that make a fashion company successful?

SI: You have to have a clear vision and consistent direction. You need to know the market you are dealing with and know where you are and where you want to go.

JS: What are the biggest near term opportunities and challenges for your company?

SI: The biggest opportunity and challenge is getting industry support. The New York fashion industry is so influential in the world. This potential support is the biggest opportunity for me at this particular stage. I think I am [starting to] get it and hope to get more.

JS: What do you want your company to look like five years from now?

SI: I want to be the biggest independent luxury accessories brand.

JS: What do you do in your role as CEO?

SI: I make decisions for the business in everything from handbag design to choosing materials to communicating with PR to shipping materials to managing my people.

JS: What have you learned about yourself in your role as CEO?

SI: I am a very fast decision maker and I always try to create opportunities for myself. I would much rather create them than to wait for things to happen.

JS: Looking back, knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?

SI: Nothing–I don’t think I would have done anything differently.

JS: What is the best piece of career advice you have for those who hope to launch their own fashion business one day?

SI: I think the best piece of career advice I have is not just for those who hope to launch their own fashion business, but for anyone who wants to launch a business, the foundation is the same, and that’s discipline and hard work. Work hard in a smart way and know what you want. If you know what you want, you’ll know where to go.

Photos from top: Assortment of Sang A clutches, Sang A river tote which appeared on “Gossip Girl”, Jessica Simpson carrying a Sang A blue python clutch, Sang A fox fur clutch

Visit SangA.com for more information

–Jennifer Sung